


자기 (Jagi)

by gudekkuma_yeollie



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Alternate Universe, Angst, Café Owner!Minseok, Cuddling, Drama, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gang Boss!Baek, Gang Boss!Myeon, Gangs, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Idol!Jongin, Illegal and Illicit Wedding, Lawyer!Dae, Lawyer!Soo, M/M, Organized Crime, Polyamory, Rilakkuma bc c'mon y'all, Roommates!SeKai, Smut, Switching, Threesome - M/M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, bc y'all are weak for EXO mafia shit, bffs!BaekYeol, it's okay me too, mafia, music producer!yeol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-10-24 01:54:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 34,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17695382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gudekkuma_yeollie/pseuds/gudekkuma_yeollie
Summary: Chanyeol had a pretty good life: he had an amazing boyfriend, a nice flat in Gangnam, and his dream job. Though, things start going downhill when Jongdae brings up his brothers.He quickly realizes why he hadn't been allowed to meet them earlier, especially Junmyeon.Or, Chanyeol just wants everyone to get along but the gang bosses in his life are too stubborn.





	1. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo boy, y'all I am shooketh by how quickly this fic wrote itself. I started last Saturday and I'm hoping to get it done by this Saturday (only the last chapter's left now bless). This is my first work for EXO but honestly I would do p much anything for these dumb beautiful men and I adore PCY so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ Big shoutout to my poor roommate and also my best trash friend who agreed to beta this thing that I treasure and adore.
> 
> Also a reminder that all acts written here are safe, sane, and consensual. All parties are legal age or above. EXO and all other kpop entertainers presented here are real people and so I remind you that this is just a fic. I am writing this and all future fics as dramas with their stage personas as the actors. This is not intended to be a representation of who these people are or are not. Remember to love and respect them always. And thanks for reading! <3

Chanyeol wasn’t the most aware when it came to his surroundings. Which was why it took him some time to work out that the prickling at the back of his neck, hair feeling like it was standing on end, and the sudden breaking out into nervous sweat came from the feeling of being watched.

 

It didn’t happen all the time, thankfully, but the feel of eyes on him was there through situations when he was by himself, among friends, or with his boyfriend, Kim Jongdae.

 

Jongdae was an absolute imp.

 

Much of his personality consisted of teasing others with his signature feline smirk, whining when he felt slighted (which happened more often than not), and in general just being a very loud dinosaur of a man.

 

That didn’t overshadow the fact that he was also a total sweetheart.

 

He wasn’t as big a romantic as Chanyeol was, but he would always remember anniversaries and random holidays just so he would have an excuse to spoil Chanyeol with dates and fun times in the sheets, end up buying some cute Rilakkuma product because he saw it and was reminded of him, or come to Chanyeol’s studio when the latter spent too long being cooped up and working on the next track for some new OST or one of his artists bringing food and the promise of cuddles back home.

 

They had been living together for almost six months now, being able to afford their flat in Gangnam thanks to both Chanyeol’s royalties and Jongdae’s lawyer salary.

 

Chanyeol had never been happier, but he was also aware that the feeling of being watched had started after he and Jongdae had decided to take the next step.

 

However, there was nothing he could do about it unless his feelings were confirmed through an escalation of some sort, which didn’t seem like it was going to happen, and he didn’t want to go to Jongdae about it and have him get worried over nothing either.

 

So, instead, Chanyeol ignored the chills and goosebumps, sticking to what he knew best: producing music and spoiling his boyfriend as much as he could.

 

Though, he did wish that things would blow over soon just so he could walk down the street or visit a friend without feeling itchingly paranoid.

 

He found himself regretting not telling Jongdae earlier.

 

Nothing would have gone this bad if he had.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Chanyeol hummed as he went into _Xiumin’s Delights_ , grinning at the owner when he looked up from where he was preparing some coffee and sent him a friendly smile. Xiumin was a tiny, unassuming man with soft cheeks and a strong scalp that went through a multitude of colors. He had settled for blue this month, but Chanyeol knew to expect something different within the next few weeks.

 

“I’ll be with you in a second, Chanyeol-ssi!”

 

Chanyeol sent him a thumbs up as he considered what Xiumin still had in his display case, pleased to see that there was still an egg salad sandwich available. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and took it out, unashamed of his adorable Rilakkuma case and the cute little cat charm he had gotten because it had reminded him of Jongdae.

 

[ **puddaeng** ] _asdsaljkd_

 

Chanyeol rolled his eyes at Jongdae’s usual eloquence, but he had long since decoded his boyfriend’s keysmashes and knew exactly what to reply.

 

[ **yeoliepop** ] _I’ll be there soon, you big baby ;p_

 

The reply was almost immediate.

 

[ **puddaeng** ] _Soon isn’t quick enoughhhhhhhhh_

 

[ **puddaeng** ] _I want a shot of my happy virus nowwwwww_

 

Chanyeol cracked a smile at that, feeling the tips of his ears redden and he was sure they matched his hair. He and Jongdae had missed each other the night before, Chanyeol getting back home from the studio in the early morning and Jongdae leaving an hour before him to get back to the office in time. Both of them were wrapping up big projects at work, Chanyeol trying to finish Kai’s debut album (that kid was going to have all of South Korea wrapped around his fingers) and Jongdae completing the last piles of paperwork from his previous case that had involved a very wealthy man entangled in some very scandalous affairs.

 

[ **yeoliepop** ] (¬‿¬)

 

[ **yeoliepop** ] _Flattery will get you everywhere Kim Jongdae_

 

[ **yeoliepop** ] ღゝ◡╹)ノ♡

 

“Boyfriend again?”

 

Chanyeol looked up to see Xiumin smiling at him from the counter and he nodded enthusiastically, practically bouncing as he ordered the usual sandwich and a coffee.

 

“You’re so excited today, any special occasion?” Xiumin laughed.

 

“Today’s our six-month anniversary since moving in together,” Chanyeol explained as his grin split his face. “I’m just really excited because today is the last day of a project I have at work, so I can get home early and start on a hopefully romantic dinner.” He paused as he got an idea. “You wouldn’t happen to know any good flower shops around here, would you?”

 

Xiumin looked happy for him, if the way his smile became gummier was any indication.

 

“That’s actually really sweet, and yes, I do in fact know one.”

 

Chanyeol left the café with Jongdae’s promised treats, a skip to his step, and a smile that almost hurt his cheeks it was so wide.

 

It wasn’t until he was a block away from Jongdae’s office that he felt that all-too-familiar feeling of being watched again, hands getting clammy and stomach doing flips. He refused to look around though and powered through the uncomfortableness as he finally entered _Do & Kim’s_.

 

He let out a happy chirp when the first person he saw was a short, well-dressed man with thick brows and thicker heart-shaped lips.

 

“Kyungsoooooo! Good morning!”

 

Usually Chanyeol would receive a withering look of contempt for being his loud, happy self from the tiny lawyer, but Kyungsoo actually stopped and looked up at him properly.

 

“Good morning, Chanyeol. I have been repeatedly told by Jongdae that today is your anniversary, so congratulations on managing to deal with his whiney ass for so long.”

 

Chanyeol stood, gaping, as Kyungsoo continued.

 

“Though, your energy is more exhausting than his, so it shouldn’t be a surprise, I suppose.”

 

Chanyeol ignored the jibes and threw his arms around the other, crowing in delight.

 

“Thanks, Soo! I’ll see you later,” he giggled at the disgruntled man as he pulled away and went straight to Jongdae’s office.

 

No sooner had he entered and shut the door than he was pressed right back up against it, grabby hands pulling him down and insistent lips meeting his.

 

Chanyeol melted a little, but not completely since he was still holding precious cargo, and returned the kiss with as much fervor as he could before pulling back.

 

“Happy anniversary.” Jongdae purred, voice dropping as he looked up at Chanyeol with hooded eyes and curved lips. He looked infuriatingly attractive as always with his swept honey-blond hair and pressed three-piece suit.

 

“Happy anniversary.” Chanyeol returned with an equally husky voice, pecking Jongdae’s lips one more time before lifting the bunny logo drink and bag. “Though, you might want to let me move past the door if you want to actually eat your lunch.”

 

Jongdae’s eyes raked down his form, tongue flitting out over smooth lips and Chanyeol followed the movement with rapt attention. Even though Chanyeol was only wearing a hoodie and skinny jeans, Jongdae still managed to make the redhead feel like the hottest man on this side of the Han River.

 

“Lunch looks delicious, are you sure I can’t eat it here?” Jongdae quipped as he leaned forward to nose at the hollow of Chanyeol’s throat, a hint of teeth pressing against collarbone as hands settled on his hips.

 

Chanyeol tilted his head back a little, humming as he pretended to mull the offer over, a smile threatening to break the fake-pensive expression.

 

Jongdae’s tongue met skin and Chanyeol’s breath hitched. However, as nice as it felt, he knew he and his boyfriend couldn’t get too much further.

 

“As much as I’d love to stay and revisit our door sexcapades, I do have to go into the studio to wrap up this album.”

 

Jongdae pulled away with a pout, and Chanyeol leaned down to give him a placating kiss before the bubbling wae could leave the other’s mouth.

 

“The sooner I go in and finish, the sooner I get to go back home and… _prepare_ for tonight.”

 

Jongdae’s gaze darkened, and he looked much less petulant than he had a moment before. Chanyeol hadn’t moved back more than a few centimeters to utter the incentive, warm breath fanning against the other’s moistened lips.

 

“Oh yeah? What’s on the menu,” Jongdae inched forward to lightly pull Chanyeol’s bottom lip between his teeth, “ _babe_?”

 

Chanyeol’s eyes sparked, coy and hot as he replied, nipping Jongdae back in retaliation.

 

“That’s a surprise for tonight, _babe_.”

 

Usually, Jongdae would’ve gone straight into full-pout mode and a whine that interns could’ve heard in the mailroom two hallways down.

 

But this time, the lawyer’s lips simply curved up into that lovely little grin that Chanyeol adored and he hummed in acquiescence.

 

Jongdae finally took the delivered goods from Chanyeol, setting them down on his desk. The taller wrapped him in one last hug, a wandering hand slipping down to lovingly pat Jongdae’s suit-clad asset, which earned him a fond snort.

 

“I’ll see you tonight!” Chanyeol pecked him on the cheek before finally taking his leave.

 

“I can’t wait!” Jongdae sent him a very cheesy finger heart that Chanyeol returned by raising his own arms over his head in a large heart shape, too.

 

“Just go to work already,” Kyungsoo said in disgust as he passed by on his way to his office, and the way he muttered “sappy lovebirds” under his breath was not a compliment.

 

Chanyeol saluted him before hurrying out of the building, not willing to take his chances with an irritated Kyungsoo.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

It was nearing four in the afternoon as Chanyeol watched Kai near the ending notes of the last track. The younger man was completely invested in it, and when he finished, Chanyeol called cut and bounced with satisfaction and pride.

 

“You were great in there, Kai!” he praised, grinning as the younger came out of the recording booth. “You finished the last track! I’m so proud!” he grabbed the other’s hands as he swung them in excitement.

 

“It was thanks to you, hyung!” Kai shook his head, returning Chanyeol’s grip. “I only had vague ideas about the concept, but you managed to take what I said and make something amazing out of it!”

 

Chanyeol shook his head, too. “It doesn’t matter what I make if you weren’t able to deliver it so perfectly,” he insisted.

 

“This is actually painful to witness and I may just throw up.”

 

Chanyeol and Kai turned to see Sehun at the doorway, looking at them with a somewhat sour expression on his usually bored face.

 

“You’re both great, a perfect hyung-dongsaeng duo.” He said flatly. “Now, can you two stop trying to one-up each other praise-wise so we can go celebrate properly?”

 

Kai pouted. “You could be a little more enthusiastic, you know.”

 

Sehun rolled his eyes. “You two worked hard on this album, and when you finally debut, you’re gonna top the charts. So, yes, I am also proud and unsurprised that you managed to finish quickly.” He finished, and it didn’t sound ingenuine.

 

Kai blinked, a bright smile bursting out onto his face as he jumped over to the younger man, crushing his friend into a tight hug.

 

“That wasn’t so hard, was it, Sehunnie?” Kai hummed happily as he nuzzled his face into the other’s shoulder.

 

Sehun pursed his lips, but there was no denying the red in his cheeks as Kai hugged him.

 

They made quite a pair, two tall boys with contrasting appearances: Kai with his bronze tones and silver hair, Sehun with his pale skin and dark cinnamon locks.

 

Chanyeol smiled as he ruffled Sehun’s hair. “I’m glad Kai’s number one fan supports him so well,” he said teasingly.

 

Sehun looked like he was eating a lemon, lips screwing up.

 

Chanyeol chuckled. “Unfortunately, I’ll have to treat you to a dinner another time because tonight is a very important night for me that I absolutely cannot miss.”

 

“Oh yeah, you have to be a gross old couple with your boyfriend, don’t you?” Sehun recalled.

 

“Yah! We’re not that old!” Chanyeol huffed. “But yes, it’s our anniversary and I want it to go over well. He deserves a nice night for putting up with me for so long,” he said, half-joking.

 

Kai looked at him with contemplation, suddenly serious. He did that sometimes, where he would just look at Chanyeol as if he was evaluating him and then drop a nugget of (usually cryptic) wisdom before going back to his usual sleepy and/or soft self.

 

“That’s a two-way street, hyung. You’re not so bad, you know?” he smiled. “Enjoy your night. Sehun and I will always be ready for dinner sponsored by your wallet, so don’t worry about that.”

 

Chanyeol tsked. “I knew you brats only wanted me for my money.”

 

“He found us out. Should we knock him out and run with the goods?” Sehun turned to Kai, posing the question with just enough monotony that Chanyeol was almost convinced he’d do it if the other said yes.

 

“Nah, let’s go to that fried chicken place. Today’s―”

 

“―discount chicken Thursday, I know.”

 

Chanyeol shook his head fondly as he watched the two leave with a respectful goodbye (on Kai’s end) before resuming conversation on their dinner plans. The redhead checked his watch as he grabbed his things, pulling up the address for the flower shop Xiumin had recommended.

 

It was going to be a great night, Chanyeol was sure of it.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Chanyeol sung along to Roy Kim as he finished setting the table.

 

He had gotten a bouquet full of roses, gerbera, carnations, chrysanthemums, and baby’s breath that were sitting prettily in the middle of the table. Satisfied with how the dining area looked, he checked to make sure he hadn’t missed anything when he had picked up around the living room from where he’d left random hoodies or socks.

 

The scan done with no glaring errors, he headed back into the kitchen to put the steak he had prepared in the oven and starting on the herb potatoes and cream spinach.

 

He had already taken a shower, having worked himself up while making sure he was thoroughly cleaned and stretched out. He didn’t cum, however, because he wanted to wait for Jongdae, but fuck was it hard not to when he had slid in the lubed up plug and it pressed just shy of where he really needed it.

 

He went ahead and dressed up in a pair of slacks that highlighted how long and slim his legs were and a royal blue button-up, wearing an apron atop it and rolling his sleeves up as he cooked. He’d also noticed that some of the palettes were distinctly absent when he went to check his and Jongdae’s shared makeup cubby. That meant that Jongdae was planning on glamming up before coming home tonight, and the thought of seeing smoke and shimmer playing around the other’s eyes and his cheeks cut sharper than usual had Chanyeol thrumming with anticipation.

 

So, Chanyeol had spent a good thirty minutes in front of the mirror putting on a base to cover up any blemishes and unevenness, applied a little bit of liner to the corner of his eyes that made them look even bigger, tapped on some highlighter, and swiped on a tint that never failed to make Jongdae’s gaze lock with his lips.

 

He looked pretty good if he said so himself, and all he had to do was wait for Jongdae to come home so that they could have themselves a quaint little dinner and then preferably have sex on the dining table, in the living room, and end it with a couple more rounds in bed (that he had spritzed some rose-scented perfume on).

 

Chanyeol may or may not have been horny and in love.

 

And that was the other thing: he was finally going to tell Jongdae he loved him.

 

There were a lot of moments where he’d itched to say it, to just blurt it out whenever he felt it on the tip of his tongue. But Chanyeol wanted it to be special, wanted his first confession to mean something and be memorable.

 

He was pretty sure Jongdae loved him, too, but there was still a twinge of doubt in the back of his mind that reminded him that if Jongdae did love him, he would’ve said it by now. Chanyeol reminded himself of the little things Jongdae did for him (constant bursts of affection), the big things (sweeping him off his feet metaphorically and a few physical times too with meaningful gestures), and the look in his eyes whenever they shared moments, and knew that he didn’t mind not hearing Jongdae say it back until he was ready to.

 

Chanyeol still had to say it himself first, though, and the thought made his palms clammy.

 

He was brought back from his anxious musings when his phone began to play _Beep Beep_ by SNSD, and he didn’t even have to check the caller ID before pausing his music and picking up.

 

“Hey, Baek, what’s up?” Chanyeol hummed as he balanced the phone between his shoulder and ear, stirring the garnishes on the stove.

 

“ _Brunch tomorrow sound good?_ ”

 

“Works for me,” Chanyeol accepted. “The usual place?”

 

“ _You know it._ ”

 

“Sounds like a plan.”

 

“ _Hm…Chanyeol?_ ”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“ _Congratulations with Jongdae. I’m happy you two lasted this long._ ”

 

Chanyeol grinned, hearing that from Baekhyun made him feel positively warm and fuzzy inside knowing that he had his best friend’s support.

 

“We wouldn’t have even met if you had never made me go to _Xiumin’s_ , Baek. Thanks for that. Now, wish me luck. Tonight’s the night I’m gonna tell Dae I love him.”

 

“ _Good luck, kuma. I’ll see you tomorrow._ ”

 

Chanyeol set his phone down on the counter, turning the music back on and finding himself singing along louder from how bubbly he felt. The fact that TWICE was playing probably helped.

 

It wasn’t much longer before he heard the front door unlock and Jongdae’s voice cut clearly through the stereo.

 

“Jagi-yaaaaaaaah, I’m homeeeeeeeee!”

 

Chanyeol snorted at his boyfriend’s obnoxiously cute greeting before informing him he was in the kitchen. Knowing that the vegetables were done cooking, he turned off the stove and grabbed the mitts, bending over to open the oven and grab the steak tray.

 

There was a wolf whistle from the doorway and Chanyeol laughed as he straightened back up, setting the tray down before turning to face Jongdae, opening his mouth to greet him but instead sucking in a breath as he took in the other.

 

The blond was still in his suit, but he’d taken his jacket off and had it slung in the crook of his elbow, leaving him in his dark pinstripe shirt and sleek vest that hugged his chest and waist. But what was really drawing Chanyeol’s attention was the butter yellow shimmer on the other’s lids, smoked out by dark gold and a touch of bronze. True to expectation, his cheeks did look sharper and there was even a pink shine to his lips that took Chanyeol’s breath away.

 

“Well, fuck.” Chanyeol swallowed, eyes blown as he internally thanked all the deities he could think of for getting so lucky with his stunning beautiful boyfriend whom he adored.

 

“Ditto.” Jongdae returned, voice sounding breathy.

 

In less than a moment, the blond had crossed the kitchen and backed Chanyeol up against the cabinets, hands gripping the counter as he leaned up to kiss Chanyeol. The redhead immediately wound his arms around the other’s waist and slipped his hands into the tight back pockets of Jongdae’s slacks, reciprocating the kiss.

 

Chanyeol swept his tongue across Jongdae’s lip, strawberry bursting on his tongue from the taste of the gloss. He moaned as Jongdae let him inside, fingers digging into the meat of his cheeks as they said their hellos through tongues, lips, and teeth.

 

Jongdae was the one to pull away first, panting slightly as he swiped his tongue over his lips to check if there was any gloss left.

 

“Well, I’m glad you liked the appetizer,” the blond snickered.

 

Chanyeol leaned down to rub his nose against his, chest overflowing with affection and head floating in the clouds.

 

“Loved it. I’ll be ordering it again soon; probably in the next twenty minutes even.”

 

Jongdae pinched Chanyeol’s waist, making the other yelp.

 

“Sap,” he said fondly. “Now, what’s for dinner? I’m starving.”

 

“Steak, potatoes, and spinach. I’ll get the tray, you grab the pans.” Chanyeol replied, and Jongdae’s eyes lit up at the food.

 

They set everything down on the dining table and Jongdae left momentarily to go fetch the bottle of red wine he’d brought home, proudly presenting it to Chanyeol before pouring out two glasses for them. The blond didn’t fail to comment on how gorgeous the bouquet in the middle of the table was before they began to eat either.

 

“Jagi-yah, this is so good I think I might actually die.” Jongdae immediately praised at first bite, not even finished chewing as he groaned loudly in delight.

 

Chanyeol’s lips quirked; he really did love this gremlin.

 

And the fact that his hands didn’t start sweating or that he didn’t feel familiar knots in his stomach was what made him take Jongdae’s hand in his after they had finished the food on their plates, playing with the other’s fingers.

 

“I love you.”

 

Jongdae’s eyes widened and his hand went slack as he gasped in surprise, but Chanyeol didn’t let the initial reaction deter him, staring straight into the other’s gold-smoked eyes even as his ears began to turn red and his leg started getting jittery.

 

“And I think you love me too, but I’m not going to ask you to say it back unless you want to. Though, saying that aloud sounds really presumptuous of me, fuck. What I’m trying to say is I love you and you don’t have to say it back, and I’m really glad that we’re together and made it this long, because you are seriously the most amazing, wonderful, attractive man I have ever met and I just _really love you_ ―”

 

“I love you, too.”

 

Chanyeol’s rambling came to an abrupt halt, and it was his turn to look at Jongdae with wide eyes and an open mouth.

 

“Is that really such a surprise?” Jongdae laughed lightly, but it sounded a little strangled. He looked thrown off, a sight Chanyeol hadn’t seen a lot, but the emotion in his eyes as he looked at Chanyeol, the adoration in his smile, was not something unfamiliar to him at all.

 

“No,” Chanyeol found himself saying, meaning it, “it’s not.” He stood up abruptly, rounding the table so he could turn Jongdae’s chair to face him, dropping down onto his knees and placing his hands flat on the other’s firm thighs. “Did I mention,” Chanyeol bit his lip to try to tamp down the dopey smile that was threatening to overtake his face, “that I love you, Kim Jongdae?”

 

Jongdae grinned at him, one corner of his mouth quirking higher than the other as he chuckled. “Maybe a few times,” he said lightly. “But that’s okay, because I love you, too, Park Chanyeol.”

 

The redhead’s eyes shone at that. He leaned forward to take Jongdae’s mouth in his before pulling back to press slow kisses down his cheek and jawline, working down his neck before reaching the edge of his collar, hand coming to press against the knot of the lawyer’s tie.

 

“I’ve been waiting for this all day,” he murmured against the other pulse point. “Babe, I really want to suck you off, can I?”

 

Jongdae let out a sound that was between a whine and a groan as he cradled Chanyeol’s head between his palms and pulled him back up. “Shit, why would I even say no to that? Please, jagi-yah, I’d love that.” He moaned against Chanyeol’s lips.

 

They took off Jongdae’s vest together before the blond focused on undoing his tie and the buttons of his shirt as Chanyeol focused on unzipping and pulling the other’s cock out through his boxers. He was half-hard already, and the head was growing wet as Chanyeol thumbed the underside of it, Jongdae’s hips thrusting into the redhead’s hand as he began to stroke him.

 

“ _Shit, Chan_ ―”

 

Jongdae’s groan was punched out of him when Chanyeol bent down to suckle the tip, tongue running up through the slit before swirling around it and leaning down to take him deeper and deeper until he hit pubic bone. The redhead moaned at the stretch, loving how heavy and full he felt all the way down his throat like this.

 

Jongdae’s hips twitched at the vibration around him, not enough to choke Chanyeol. The taller held him down more firmly as he bobbed up and down on him, tongue working wonders against the velvety flesh as he alternated between licking and going all the way back down again.

 

Jongdae’s fingers wound themselves in Chanyeol’s hair, not guiding or pushing, simply clenching the soft red locks between them, tugging occasionally to get Chanyeol to moan brokenly around him.

 

The sight of Chanyeol’s lips, spit-slick and tinted such a lovely red as he went down on Jongdae like fucking dessert matched with the way his eyes looked up at him so wide and pretty, was getting to be too much for him.

 

He gently tugged Chanyeol off him, dick twitching at the strings of pre-cum and saliva that came off between the redhead’s puffy lips and the head of his cock. He stroked Chanyeol’s cheekbone, thumb flitting down to swipe at his lower lip, soft flesh parting to let the digit in.

 

“You did so good, jagi-yah, but I’d rather come first with you inside me if that’s okay?”

 

Chanyeol shuddered around Jongdae’s thumb, fist crumpling the material of the blond’s slacks as he nodded enthusiastically, the older man’s finger popping out at the action and smearing saliva across his cheek.

 

“I was kinda hoping to do it more than once, so I stored some supplies in the couch.” Chanyeol croaked, not bothering to clear his throat since he didn’t mind, and he knew Jongdae loved how wrecked his voice got after deepthroating.

 

“Oh, you big perfect genius…” Jongdae breathed as he leaned down to kiss him, uncaring of the taste of himself on the redhead’s lips.

 

The two of them stood, shucking off pieces of their clothing as they made their way to the couch. Chanyeol fell backward onto the cushions, pulling Jongdae down with him, sucking marks into the blond’s skin as he ran his large hands down his sides. He had one leg hanging off the couch, the other tucked under Jongdae’s against the backseat.

 

His breath hitched as Jongdae’s own hands raked down his chest, nails scraping against his nipples and making him arch against him, another groan stuttering out of him as he instinctively clenched down on the plug inside him.

 

Jongdae leaned back up, idly rolling the redhead’s nubs between his fingers and flicking them spontaneously just to see Chanyeol squirm.

 

“Where are the lube and condoms, jagi-yah?”

 

Chanyeol reached down the side of the couch, digging under the cushion to try to find them. Jongdae distracted him when he shifted from playing with his nipples to dragging insistent fingers down his stomach and thighs.

 

Chanyeol snapped out of it and resumed his search, finally pulling out the lube and a packet of condoms just as Jongdae let out a gasp.

 

“ _You did not!_ ”

 

Chanyeol had a pretty good idea what had Jongdae so worked up, and when the blond’s hand pushed his leg up further to look at the handle of the innocuous black plug nestled between his cheeks, his suspicions were confirmed.

 

“I want to be disappointed that I couldn’t watch you do this, but my dick is also really happy that you went to the trouble.”

 

Chanyeol’s head threw back when Jongdae played with the plug, shifting it inside him, and he bit his lip to stifle the cry trying to wrench out of him. He quickly reached down to grab the blond’s wrist, all but shoving the lube into his hand.

 

“We’ll get to that later. Right now, I really want to fuck you, and if I’m remembering what you said five minutes ago correctly, you do too.”

 

Jongdae’s gaze darkened and he popped open the bottle, pouring a generous amount over his fingers, smirking when some spilled onto Chanyeol’s stomach and the other grumbled at him.

 

Any annoyance quickly evaporated, however, as Chanyeol watched the blond reach his hand back to start working himself open. Every time his eyes fluttered shut, bronze and gold glimmering in the light, Chanyeol fell a just a little bit deeper.

 

He let one hand run down Jongdae’s side again, the other pressing lightly against the reddening marks he’d left on the blond earlier and gaining a few hisses from the other.

 

“You’re perfect, Dae.” Chanyeol found himself saying, cheeks warm from how sappy he sounded, but the way Jongdae smiled down at him, sweat slipping down his temples and lips curled fondly, left him with no regret. “I love you.”

 

Jongdae removed his fingers, hand splaying against the lube-y mess on Chanyeol’s stomach as he leaned down to slip his tongue into the redhead’s mouth, slow and precise.

 

“I love you, too. Now, put that condom on, my hands are too slippery.”

 

Chanyeol smiled, the edges sharp as he pulled off one square and brought it to his mouth, teeth closing around one edge of it before tearing it open.

 

Jongdae whimpered a little at the sight, erection rubbing against Chanyeol’s thigh impatiently as he watched the redhead roll the rubber down on himself. The blond immediately reached his lubed hand to slick him up, making Chanyeol’s exhale catch at the contact to his neglected cock.

 

The blond shifted so that he was holding Chanyeol by the base and poised above him.

 

“Ready, jagi-yah?”

 

“I should be asking you that,” Chanyeol huffed in amusement. “But yes, I’m ready, love.”

 

Jongdae finally started to sink down on him and Chanyeol’s hands scrambled to grab at the blond’s waist to have something to ground him. The lawyer was hot, slick, and almost entirely too tight. The redhead loved the feeling, but he didn’t want to hurt Jongdae, either.

 

“ _Shit_ , are you sure you stretched enough?” Chanyeol asked through gritted teeth.

 

Jongdae waited until he was fully seated on the redhead before letting out a long breath, the lines of his shoulders shaking and his face flushed bright but devoid of any pain.

 

“I like feeling you, jagi-yah,” he panted. “The best ache for…days and days. Love being tight for you, too. You’re, _ah_ , good for me, so I get to spoil you back.”

 

Chanyeol let out a choked noise, both from Jongdae starting to grind his hips back and forth and from the filthy, sweet confession he’d just been given.

 

He thrust up slightly, testing to see if Jongdae was ready for him to move back, and the blond rocked back enthusiastically.

 

“I–I like making you feel good, Dae,” Chanyeol admitted as he squeezed the blond’s hips, breath coming faster as he felt a familiar pooling in his gut. “You’re so perf–perfect and gorgeous and amazing… What–Whatever you want…I’ll do.”

 

Jongdae let out a sound that sounded like a mewl and a sob, shoving his fingers against Chanyeol’s lips and pressing them inside the other’s mouth.

 

“Shut up, _ngh_ , and hit that spot again!”

 

The blond continued to curse, overwhelmed with the emotions that the redhead evoked in him, hips undulating down on the other as he spread his fingers against Chanyeol’s tongue and literally tamped down his too-honest admittances.

 

Chanyeol moved his hand to start stroking Jongdae’s dripping length, pace matching that of the one the blond had set.

 

“ _Fuck!_ ” Jongdae threw his head back, voice bouncing off the walls. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, I love you, Park Chanyeol!”

 

Chanyeol whined around the blond’s fingers, eyes wet as Jongdae’s walls contracted around him, white shooting from Jongdae’s cock onto Chanyeol’s chest and stomach. The feeling of Jongdae clenching so hard around him had him stuttering mid-thrust, spilling into the condom and clamping down on the toy inside him.

 

They were both panting hard when Jongdae finally took his fingers out of Chanyeol’s mouth, breaking the saliva strings by wiping them on the redhead’s shoulder. He didn’t move off Chanyeol’s lap though, leaning down to rest his forehead against an area of Chanyeol’s clavicle that his release hadn’t reached.

 

“That was amazing,” Jongdae finally said in a wheeze.

 

“Yeah.” Chanyeol croaked, sounding entirely fucked out and content.

 

“I know we said you’re next, but, jagi-yah, I’m going to be honest with you and say that I am an old man and will need at least ten minutes before I’m ready to go again.”

 

“I’d come up with a witty remark for that if I didn’t feel like you drained my brains out through your ass.”

 

A snort.

 

“Romantic.”

 

“Only the best for you, love.”

 

They laid there for a few minutes, going back to kissing each other comfortably before Jongdae decided to play dirty and reach down to play with the plug again, making Chanyeol tremble against him as the blond teased the still-sensitive redhead.

 

“Hm, I’m still disappointed I didn’t get to see you play with yourself, jagi-yah.” Jongdae murmured against Chanyeol’s lips, pace torturously slow and purposefully avoiding his prostate. “Show me next time, yeah? Promise?” he slipped the plug a little deeper, giving the redhead a taste of the right answer.

 

Chanyeol nodded furiously. “Yes! Anything! W–Whatever you want, remember?” eyes were soft, smirk anything but as he rewarded Chanyeol with a direct press against his sweet spot, feeling the redhead twitching and hardening again inside him.

 

“Anything sounds a little too good to be true, jagi-yah. Are you sure?” Jongdae raised a brow as he looked at him with a golden-hooded gaze.

 

“Y–Yes! I swear, Dae!” Chanyeol whined, torn between thrusting down against the plug or back up inside the blond.

 

“So, if I said I wanted to fuck you until you cried and came on my cock alone, then plugged you up once I’m through with you, you’d still say yes?” Jongdae purred against Chanyeol’s throat, licking at the salt pooling in the hollow of it.

 

Chanyeol whimpered with want as he gripped at Jongdae’s strong shoulders. “ _Yes, yes, yes, please, Dae, I need that― need you, please!_ ”

 

Jongdae leaned back up, irises almost overtaken by the black of his blown pupils, and quickly pulled Chanyeol out of himself, ignoring the twinging and yanking Chanyeol up by the hands and all but dragging them to their bedroom. They stopped once near the bathroom to tie off the used condom and toss it in the trashbin but managed to reach the bedroom without knocking into anything once, which was a feat for Chanyeol.

 

“Hands and knees, jagi-yah. Let me have the present you so thoughtfully prepared for me.”

 

Chanyeol scrambled to comply, fingers fisting the sheets as he went taut with anticipation, feeling the bed dip as Jongdae climbed in behind him. The blond pressed his lips between the redhead’s shoulder blades, dragging them down along the length of Chanyeol’s spine before reaching the valley of his ass.

 

He parted the cheeks, and fuck if Chanyeol didn’t look good with that plug inside him, but imagining his own cock sliding in and out of him made Jongdae bite down on his lip with want.

 

He didn’t bother playing with the plug this time, working it out of the redhead as gently as he could. It was almost like the other didn’t want it out of him, clinging to it like he could suck it back in by sheer determination.

 

Jongdae was glad he’d already came once, because he knew that he wouldn’t have lasted long inside Chanyeol otherwise.

 

The blond tossed the plug aside for the time being as he leaned down to the puffy opening, lapping a steady, hot drag against it and making Chanyeol jerk and keen. He kept the redhead spread, thumbs hooking into the furled skin as he slipped his tongue inside.

 

Chanyeol positively wailed at the sensation, elbows slipping under him as he tried to hold himself up despite the toe-curling pleasure of feeling Jongdae’s sinful tongue probing messily inside of him. It almost felt like he couldn’t breathe, the pleasure wracking through him ruthlessly, and he was well on his way to crying already.

 

He hadn’t even realized he’d been pleading, begging, for something until Jongdae pulled back, voice husky and low as he agreed to something Chanyeol didn’t even know he’d asked for. He jolted when Jongdae bit down against the top of one of his cheeks before finally moving off.

 

Chanyeol heard the sound of Jongdae’s slick fist pumping his length before he was being maneuvered to lay down on his side, leg being lifted up high to make space for Jongdae pressing up against him from behind and throwing his leg over Chanyeol’s other one.

 

Chanyeol let out a very turned on moan when the fingers keeping his thigh lifted dug deeper as Jongdae kissed along against the side of his neck and began to press into him. He could feel Jongdae’s sweaty chest molding and sticking against his back as they breathed together, the bruises forming both from the blond’s tight grip as he held him open and the hickeys he was leaving along his shoulder.

 

“Whenever you’re ready, jagi-yah.”

 

Chanyeol swallowed the lump in his throat that had formed from more than just being physically wrecked.

 

He and Jongdae had fucked before, but they hadn’t made love like this, and Chanyeol knew his face would be streaked with the overwhelmed tears Jongdae wanted to see soon enough.

 

“Move, love.”

 

Jongdae did, and Chanyeol quickly lost himself in the slick, hot drag of the blond’s cock inside him, one hand reaching back to clutch at Jongdae’s hair and the other clawing at the pillow under their heads. When the blond shifted ever so slightly to start angling for the redhead’s prostate, he also slowed his pace down to a deep, bruising grind against the spot that was intense to the point of blinding. But Jongdae always eased off right when Chanyeol thought he was getting close, and he really did begin crying then.

 

“P–Please, Dae, I just, _a–ahhh_ , wanna cum. Please let… P–Please let me cum.”

 

Jongdae’s nails pressed red crescents into the purpling bruises on his thigh, and Chanyeol could feel the other twitch inside him at the begging. The blond let out a rumbling noise of assent.

 

“You say that like I could deny you, jagi-yah. You’ve been doing so good for me. Cum when you want to, angel.”

 

He started picking up the pace, still bruising but no longer lingering agonizingly against the sensitive tissue and instead jabbing into it with a steady rhythm that had Chanyeol hiccupping through tears and releasing, adding to the dried cum already on his stomach.

 

He was beginning to quake with oversensitivity when Jongdae finally came inside of him, pulsing torrid and thick as his hips slowed to a stop. Jongdae began to pull out, making Chanyeol shudder, but before even a drop could leak out, the blond was easing it back inside with the plug. The redhead was bone-deep exhausted, and all he could do was let out an aborted whimper as he shook at the feeling.

 

Chanyeol was drifting in and out of sleep when Jongdae left the bed to grab a washcloth, letting out a contented sigh as he felt the blond wipe him down before drawing up the covers over both of them.

 

“I had a really good anniversary, jagi-yah. I loved all of the effort you put into not only today―the sheets smell _great_ ―but us. I love _you_ , you big, perfect sap.”

 

Sated, tired, and sleepy, Chanyeol turned so that he could wrap Jongdae in his arms and waited till the blond did the same.

 

“I love you, too… You’re my one and only Dae, you know…”

 

Jongdae snickered around a yawn.

 

“I don’t even know what that means, but I’m taking that as a good thing. Goodnight, jagi-yah.”

 

“Goodnight, love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i warned y'all bout the fluff :') stay tuned for the drama i promised ;p


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> enter: the gang bosses and brothers y'all have been waiting for

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter four is going strong whoop whoop. As for the surprise update, my roommate has convinced me to post the second chapter because y'all deserve it~ Yes, Baek does call Yeol kuma short for Rilakkuma bc it is cute and I adore both Chanyeol and Rilakkuma thx

Chanyeol was sitting at his and Baekhyun’s usual brunch spot, having already ordered their food since they always got the same thing. He hadn’t touched the mimosas though, preferring to wait until Baekhyun arrived before giving into his inner wine mom.

 

He was finalizing dinner plans with Kai and Sehun for tomorrow night when someone slid into the seat in front of him.

 

“Did you miss me?”

 

Chanyeol set his phone down and eyed Baekhyun with a raised eyebrow, taking in the sight of the other man. He was wearing a tight dark tee paired with multiple leather bracelets, ripped jeans, a pair of sharp hexagonal glasses, smoky eye makeup, and a lip ring that connected to the studs and chains in his ear. He’d dyed his hair again, a wine-red color that suited this look more than the ash-blond had.

 

Baekhyun raised his own brow in return at Chanyeol. The taller snorted, breaking the farce.

 

“As much as one can miss their terror of a best friend.”

 

Baekhyun pouted. “I’m not that bad, kuma. Anyways, how have you been? I’m very interested in hearing all about last night in particular,” he sent him a knowing smirk that felt vaguely predatory with the added lip ring chain.

 

Chanyeol willed himself not to go too red, but knew his ears were probably giving him away.

 

“Last night was great. He loves me too, and we’re going to continue being a sappy gross old couple for a long time.”

 

Baekhyun cooed. “That’s sweet. I’m happy for you, Channie.”

 

Chanyeol beamed at him, pausing when the server brought them their food before piping up.

 

“So, how’ve you been? Any…disagreements or the like?”

 

“Hm, nothing a few trips to the basement and a visit to the neighborhood couldn’t fix. There were only a few people let go, so it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been.” Baekhyun informed around a forkful of egg.

 

Chanyeol nodded as he processed the information. That basically meant that people had been beaten up and interrogated in the basement, a raid on enemy turf went down, and loose ends had been terminated.

 

Chanyeol never really knew how to deal with the fact that his best friend was a gang boss, but he tried for the other’s sake, even if he didn’t agree with killing and maiming. Baekhyun needed someone to talk to and considering the shorter man had heard all about Chanyeol’s troubles, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to give him the same best friend courtesy.

 

“One of these days you or this Suho dude are going to have to settle this feud, you know.” Chanyeol frowned. “People keep getting killed; there’s got to be something you both can come to an agreement on.”

 

Baekhyun’s eyes flashed, and he gave Chanyeol a warning look over his mimosa.

 

“Maybe,” was all he said instead.

 

Chanyeol sighed and shifted the topic to work, bringing Baekhyun up to speed on Kai’s work and the other OST he was working on at the moment.

 

“I’ll make sure everyone buys the album when it drops,” Baekhyun promised with a wink. “Gotta make sure our favorite producer and his protégé get their royalties.”

 

Chanyeol laughed, but he knew that Baekhyun wasn’t joking. He’d given up on trying to convince Baekhyun to stop forcing his music down his gang’s throats a long time ago.

 

“I knew there was a reason I kept you around.” He teased as he held up a strawberry, Baekhyun leaning forward to bite it off the fork without hesitation.

 

“Yup, that’s why you’re covering lunch for today, kuma.” The gang boss smiled brightly at him, and there was the Baekhyun Chanyeol was fond of, childish and warm underneath all of the piercings and smoky eyeshadow.

 

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. He had his wallet ready when the waiter came back with the check, but Baekhyun slapped his hand away and handed a single large bill to their server and told them to keep the change with a flirty wink.

 

The taller snorted at that, but he was quite used to Baekhyun’s meaningless flirting. Once upon a time, that same wink was what had him and Baekhyun falling into bed together, but Chanyeol had been looking for long-term and Baekhyun for fun, so they settled for remaining friends which suited their dynamic more.

 

He paused when he felt eyes on the back of his head, and he whipped his head around, eyes wide as he tried to find the source, but alas, they were on the patio of a busy shop on a bustling street, and he had no such luck.

 

“What is it?”

 

Baekhyun’s alert, serious tone made him turn back to the other, and the hard edge in his eyes reminded Chanyeol of exactly who Baekhyun was.

 

“It’s…” Chanyeol bit his lip, unsure of how to continue. He knew Baekhyun would understand, but he’d spent so long trying to ignore the paranoia that he’d almost convinced himself he’d been making up the feelings.

 

“What’s going on, kuma?” Baekhyun repeated, voice softer. It was the usage of the pet name, the nickname that made Chanyeol immediately trust Baekhyun, that broke him.

 

“I think someone’s been watching me,” Chanyeol finally answered in one breath.

 

Baekhyun’s brows furrowed, and he didn’t look pleased but neither did he look surprised.

 

“How long?”

 

“Around when I moved in with Jongdae…”

 

Baekhyun nodded, absorbing the information. “Alright, I think I know what’s happening. I’ll look into it just to confirm, but don’t be too worried about in the meanwhile.”

 

Chanyeol looked unsure, but he supposed it wouldn’t be too bad. Ignoring the feeling of being watched was something he had almost perfected by this point anyway.

 

Baekhyun’s phone buzzed and he frowned as he read it.

 

“Sorry, Yeol, I’d take you to your studio, but I have something I need to deal with.”

 

Chanyeol waved him off. “It’s fine, you go do…whatever it is you have to do.”

 

Baekhyun sent him a sympathetic look. “You can call me whenever you need to, kuma. I’ll be here,” he patted his hand before taking his leave.

 

Chanyeol rubbed the back of his neck before standing up and stretching. He grabbed his mimosa to-go and made his way to the bus-stop, pulling out his own phone and playing a tsum-tsum game until his bus arrived.

 

The feeling of being watched didn’t go away, and the thought of the stalker being on the bus with him made cold dread pool in his gut as he kept his eyes glued to the floor, trying not to flinch whenever someone got too close.

 

The moment he reached his stop, he left at a pace just short of a run straight to his studio. He didn’t quite relax until he got into the elevator, slumping against the gold-mirror paneling, hands going to his pockets.

 

He froze when he realized that there was something inside that wasn’t his phone or one of the candies he usually kept stashed in it.

 

Hands shaking, he pulled out an innocuous piece of paper, unfolding it to read the message.

 

It was a symbol, nothing too detailed, just an outline of a pair of eyes.

 

Chanyeol wanted to throw up.

 

There may have been no words, but the message was clear:

 

There was definitely someone watching him, and they wanted him to know it.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Despite what Baekhyun had said about not being worried, Chanyeol was still freaked out.

 

He’d texted Jongdae, telling him that he wanted a ride back home from the studio whenever the other finished at the office and the blond agreed readily, even promising to grab takeout from the Chinese place Chanyeol liked.

 

Sometimes, Chanyeol really felt like he didn’t deserve Jongdae.

 

He spent the day in his studio, alternating between testing melodies on the piano or guitar and jotting down lyrics in one of his many notebooks, trying to drown himself in his work so he wouldn’t have to think about anything else.

 

He didn’t know how long he’d been at it until he felt hands come down on his shoulders from behind him, nearly jolting out of his chair.

 

It was just Jongdae.

 

A very confused, growingly concerned Jongdae.

 

“Are you okay? You look really pale,” he moved to let go but Chanyeol gripped his hand to let him know it was okay. “Sorry, jagi-yah. I should’ve said I was here.”

 

Chanyeol shook his head, trying to ease his heart rate back down. This was getting ridiculous. “No, Dae. It’s fine, I was just really into this so I was a little spooked is all. You know how I get,” he tried to shrug it off.

 

Jongdae didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t push it either. He waited patiently until Chanyeol shut off all of his things, perking up when Chanyeol reached over to loop their arms together and press a kiss against his cheek.

 

“How was your day, love?” Chanyeol hummed as they walked down the hallway.

 

“I finally finished up the paperwork from that last case, so now I’m just reviewing for a possible new client. Yours?”

 

“I went out for brunch and then took the bus straight here. Just been working on compositions since then; my last artist is on a break right now since he finished his album.”

 

“My phone is ready for these fire tracks!”

 

“Oh my god no one even says that, you loser.”

 

“You know you love me.”

 

Chanyeol gripped Jongdae’s hand a little tighter as he bent down to nip at the other’s ear.

 

“More than you know.”

 

Jongdae’s cheeks tinted and his eyes went wide before he smacked Chanyeol’s arm, whining.

 

“You can’t just say things like that, jagi-yah! My poor heart can’t handle it.”

 

Chanyeol simply beamed at him.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Chanyeol had just sat down on the bed when Jongdae got his attention, looking somewhat tense but determined.

 

“There’s something I’m going to tell you, jagi-yah, and I hope you won’t be too mad at me.”

 

Chanyeol blinked, but he reached forward to take Jongdae’s hands in his. He didn’t say anything, but encouraged the blond to continue silently.

 

“I have…three brothers, two older and one younger. You’ve already met two of them, but I think I’m finally ready to introduce all three of them to you properly.” Jongdae bit his lip, thumb stroking the back of Chanyeol’s hand nervously. “I would’ve said something earlier, but my hyung is really particular with who knows about him because of his line of work.”

 

Chanyeol thought of Baekhyun, whom he had never introduced to Jongdae or any of his other friends for the very same reason. Then, he mulled over the fact that he apparently knew two of Jongdae’s brothers already.

 

“Okay,” he finally said. “Will I get to meet them sometime?”

 

Jongdae gaped a little, having expected a response more… well, _more_. Then, he deflated, realizing that it was probably a good thing that Chanyeol wasn’t mad and actually accepting this.

 

“Yeah, we’ll meet the two you already know tomorrow at _Xiumin’s_ and then Junmyeon-hyung after, if that’s okay.”

 

Chanyeol raised a brow. “That’s pretty closely arranged from confession to meeting.” Jongdae’s gaze dropped, still feeling guilty, and Chanyeol tugged him closer, wrapping him up in his arms and nuzzling the top of the blond’s head. “Hey, I was just joking. A little. Anyways, I don’t mind, love. You’ve already met my noona, how bad can this go?” he said wryly.

 

Jongdae looked up at him seriously, making Chanyeol pause. “Pretty badly, actually.” He admitted before readjusting so he could wind his own arms around the redhead. “But you’re such a happy virus that I’m sure everything will be okay, and if it isn’t, that’s fine because you have me and I have you.”

 

Chanyeol didn’t know what to say to that, so he just inhaled the scent of Jongdae’s lemony sweet shampoo and tucked them into bed with quiet whispers of “I love you” between them.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Jongdae had talked Chanyeol out of wearing something nice, admitting that he definitely saw the two often enough that they knew his usual wardrobe by this point.

 

Suspicious, Chanyeol stuck to a pair of skinnies and a sweater, but did put on concealer to try to appear like a decent young man deserving of Jongdae.

 

The blond looked more nervous than Chanyeol did, and the redhead couldn’t explain why he was so calm about the whole situation either. What he did know was that no matter what happened, he wouldn’t love Jongdae less for it. This was the man his heart beat and ached for, whose attention and affection he didn’t think he could live without.

 

So, he twined his hand into Jongdae’s and sent him an encouraging smile that had the locked tension in the blond’s shoulder releasing like Chanyeol’s reassurance had been the key all along.

 

It was clear even to Chanyeol that Jongdae needed him just as much as he did.

 

When they walked into _Xiumin’s_ , which was suspiciously closed but the door was unlocked, Jongdae led them over to a corner table where two men were already seated.

 

Chanyeol blinked.

 

Then he blinked again.

 

“I guess we owe you an apology, don’t we, Chanyeol-ssi?”

 

Staring sheepishly up at him were none other than Xiumin and Kai themselves.

 

Jongdae nudged Chanyeol into taking a seat across from the two, palm clammy against his, and Chanyeol squeezed it without second thought.

 

Kai was biting his lip worriedly, unable to look Chanyeol in the eye as he fiddled with the sweater paws covering his hands.

 

Xiumin looked apologetic and chagrined, but not as nervous as Kai.

 

Chanyeol cleared his throat.

 

“Well, why don’t we just start from the beginning maybe?”

 

It was Kai who broke first.

 

“I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you, hyung! There were a lot of times I wanted to, but we have a promise with Junmyeon-hyung not to let anyone know about us being brothers so we couldn’t tell you until we knew for sure we could trust you.”

 

Chanyeol processed what he’d been told, gaze softening when he saw how distressed Kai looked. He reached over to place a steady hand atop the younger’s sleeved hands.

 

“Relax, I’m not mad.” Chanyeol assured, and he sensed both Jongdae and Xiumin relax some. “I’m guessing that this has something to do with your hyung’s job? Dae said his identity needed to be kept need-to-know,” he inferred.

 

Xiumin nodded. “That’s right. It seemed a bit much at first, but hyung is insistent and he doesn’t want any risk involved.” He explained seriously before his lips quirked up, a gleam in his eye that reminded Chanyeol of the same look Jongdae got when he was planning on being particularly impish. “But he’s not heartless either; the fact that our noisy brat fell in love with someone who loves him back is enough for him to trust you with who he is.”

 

The petulant “waeeeeeee!” they’d all been expecting filled the whole space of the café, making the others laugh at Jongdae’s indignation.

 

“So, now that that’s out of the way,” Kai regained their attention. “I’m going to reintroduce myself: Kim Jongin, the maknae. It’s very nice to finally meet you, hyung.” He smiled brightly at Chanyeol as he took the opportunity to clasp the redhead’s hand.

 

“And I’m Kim Minseok, the eldest. I make the best coffee in Gangnam, but you already knew that.” Xiumin― no, _Minseok_ , beamed gummily.

 

“Jonginnie and Minseok-hyung,” Chanyeol repeated, returning a grin of his own, “somehow, they fit just right.”

 

Jongdae’s arm slid around Chanyeol’s waist as he buried his face in the redhead’s arm, exhaling in disbelief.

 

“You’re literally perfect, jagi-yah, what am I supposed to do with you?”

 

“Never let me go, obviously.” Chanyeol hummed. “I just gained a hyung who can make me the best coffee in Gangnam and a dongsaeng who expects to be spoiled for the long-haul, and we can’t disappoint them now, can we?”

 

Jongdae laughed against him, the sound full and brimming with love.

 

Minseok and Jongin watched the exchange with a certainty that they had made the right choice, relieved that their confession had gone over well.

 

But in the back of the brothers’ minds, they knew that Chanyeol still had to meet the one who’d created the anonymity rule in the first place.

 

They just hoped that Chanyeol’s infectious optimism and giant heart would be enough.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

When Chanyeol and Jongdae stepped out of _Xiumin’s_ , they saw an all black car parked outside the entrance.

 

The window rolled down a bit, revealing a man with even more feline features than Jongdae sporting pinky-blond hair that was too fuzzy to be a buzz cut.

 

Jongdae looked resigned, and he greeted the driver wearily.

 

“Hey, Key. Been awhile.”

 

Key sent Jongdae what looked to be something akin to a sympathetic glance, but when his eyes dragged over Chanyeol, the redhead felt a familiar jolt of unease shoot through him.

 

Unwilling to consider what this meant, he followed Jongdae inside the car, the mood much more tense than it had been earlier.

 

“I’m guessing you’re not gonna be able to give me much to work with until we meet him, are you, Dae?”

 

Jongdae’s lips pursed at the question and he shook his head apologetically.

 

“He’s our brother, and we still love him. That has to account for something after all this.”

 

Chanyeol nodded, leaning his head down so he could rest it atop of the blond’s, closing his eyes and focusing on how comfortable he felt while holding Jongdae.

 

He didn’t know how long it had been when the car finally stopped, and Jongdae was the one to squeeze his hand this time as they got out.

 

They followed Key inside an ordinary looking office building, taking the key-card accessed elevator up to what looked to be the top floor.

 

Chanyeol didn’t realize how hard his heart was pounding or how sweaty his palm had gotten until Jongdae murmured a quiet reassurance to him as they made their way down the hallway.

 

Key finally stopped in front of a door, knocking and informing who was inside that Chanyeol and Jongdae had arrived.

 

They were granted permission to enter and Key let them inside.

 

The office was spacious and beautiful, everything gleaming from the sunlight streaming in through the large glass windows. Nothing looked out of place at all, and Chanyeol suddenly felt underdressed and ugly.

 

There was a man sitting at the sleek black desk, features soft and unassuming like Minseok’s but there was a sharpness to his small mouth and thick brows. His hair was coiffed and every strand looked perfectly placed. He wore a three-piece like Jongdae did, but his included a matching pocket square and tie set that made Chanyeol feel like he was a grubby nobody in front of a king.

 

And then the man smiled and moved toward them so he could envelop Jongdae in a hug.

 

“It’s been too long, Jongdae. I’ve missed you.”

 

Jongdae relaxed and wrapped his arms back around the other, even going so far as to lift him off the ground and making him laugh from surprise.

 

“I missed you too, hyung. Sorry I haven’t been around much.”

 

Junmyeon gave Jongdae’s arms a squeeze before pulling back and turning to face Chanyeol, offering him a smile.

 

“And you must be Chanyeol. I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”

 

Chanyeol froze at the attention before snapping into a bow.

 

“Y–Yes. Park Chanyeol. I–It’s nice to meet you, Junmyeon-ssi.”

 

Junmyeon laughed again, and it was a nice sound. Chanyeol just hoped that his personality was just as pleasant.

 

“Jongdae, you don’t mind stepping out to go get us some tea, do you?”

 

By the look on Jongdae’s face and the subtle panic on Chanyeol’s, both of them clearly minded.

 

Junmyeon’s smile didn’t waver, and Jongdae shot Chanyeol a glance as he bit his lip.

 

“Okay, hyung.”

 

Jongdae sent one last look before he left, leaving Junmyeon, Key, and Chanyeol in the room.

 

“Why don’t you take a seat, Chanyeol?”

 

Chanyeol gingerly sat down on the couch, Junmyeon taking the seat across him in one of the single armchairs.

 

“Would you like to take a guess as to what I do, or shall I just tell you?”

 

Chanyeol’s fingers drummed nervously on his thigh before he answered.

 

“It’s something that involves a lot of danger, since you want your identity kept safe, but you clearly have money so it’s not anything to do with the government. It’s definitely something along the lines of a private business venture, though I’m not sure how legal it is.”

 

Junmyeon’s brow raised, and Chanyeol tried not to squirm anymore than he already had in the older man’s gaze.

 

“You’re right. I’m a private business owner who has rights to a fair chunk of Seoul. You could say I do a fair amount of activities to ensure my position of power that the government would not like, so I am very far from being affiliated with them.”

 

Chanyeol blinked before blurting, “Um, you, um, aren’t like a mafia boss, are you?”

 

The smile Junmyeon gave him was as cold as it was sharp.

 

“You’re smarter than you look, Chanyeol. No offense.”

 

Chanyeol wanted to become one with the floor; it was bad enough having Baekhyun as a best friend, but _Jongdae’s older brother being a gang boss, too?_

 

If Chanyeol was lucky, Junmyeon wouldn’t be affiliated with Suho.

 

“Tell me, have you heard of Suho?”

 

Chanyeol wanted to sob but ended up shaking his head no as he tried to look as unassuming as he could.

 

“I’ll spare you the lengthier shovel talk, Chanyeol. I go by Suho in the community, and I’m sure if you’ve heard of me you know what I’m capable of. All I care about is my brothers’ happiness. It’s clear Jongdae loves you, and it looks like you love him, too.”

 

Of fucking course Junmyeon was Suho. Chanyeol almost dared the universe to try to make the situation worse for him before thinking better of it. Instead, he chose to be a brave little music producer and let Junmyeon know he was serious about Jongdae.

 

“I love him more than I’ve ever loved anything. I just want to keep him happy and safe.”

 

Junmyeon nodded in approval, but he didn’t thaw.

 

“I take people by their word to an extent, but it’s action that I put real stock in. Lucky for you, you haven’t done anything wrong so far. I sincerely hope you keep it up, because I don’t give second chances.”

 

Chanyeol quirked the corner of his lips in a grimace.

 

“Trust me, if I ever hurt Jongdae, I’d probably ruin myself before you’d get a chance to.”

 

Junmyeon’s eyes flashed as if accepting a challenge.

 

“We’ll see about that.”

 

The door banged open and Jongdae marched in with a platter of tea, defiantly setting it down on the table before taking a seat right in Chanyeol’s lap.

 

“Glad to see you in one piece, jagi-yah.” The blond said pointedly as he squeezed his arm around the redhead.

 

Junmyeon pouted. “How could you think so little of your hyung, Dae?”

 

Jongdae gave him an unimpressed look.

 

“You do remember that whenever I try to date someone you end up getting them transferred to another country or hospitalized? The duality there is insane, hyung.”

 

Chanyeol suddenly remembered the too-good-to-be-true job offer he’d gotten earlier that year that he’d turned down. Then the one time he got mugged but had escaped with only a scraped knee. He’d had a feeling that it’d been personal, but they’d never come back to bother him so he never found out.

 

Until now.

 

Junmyeon didn’t bat an eyelash at the accusations.

 

“Did they really deserve you if they left you like that?”

 

Jongdae made a face before turning away from Junmyeon and pressing into Chanyeol harder.

 

“It’s gonna take a lot more than a promise of a promotion and a botched mugging to make me leave Jongdae.”

 

The statement surprised both the brothers, but Jongdae’s eyes got shiny and he crooned into Chanyeol’s neck. Junmyeon just seemed to take it as another challenge.

 

They eventually drank their tea as they exchanged small talk, Chanyeol having no idea how he managed to keep himself together.

 

When they’d finally returned to their apartment, Jongdae rounded on Chanyeol, looking anxious again.

 

“You said you weren’t mad, but that was before you met Junmyeon-hyung. I’m sorry, please don’t be freaked out.”

 

Chanyeol wished he could say he wasn’t.

 

Baekhyun and Junmyeon were rivals, rivals that beat and killed each other’s competition, rivals that refused to come to a compromise.

 

And Chanyeol was right in between them.

 

Even if he broke his promise to Baekhyun and came clean to Jongdae, it wouldn’t end well for them and Chanyeol knew it.

 

So, he swallowed his worries and inner turmoil, and sent Jongdae a smile.

 

He wasn’t called a happy virus for nothing, after all.

 

He opened his arms and waited for Jongdae to come to him, squeezing tight and burying his face in the lemon sweet strands of the other’s blond hair.

 

“I meant it, Dae. I’m not going anywhere and I’m not mad. It was a bit of a shock, yeah, but I understand why you had to be careful. I still love you, even if your hyung is a big scary mafia boss. You’re it for me, Kim Jongdae. The one.”

 

Jongdae wailed as he crushed Chanyeol with the force of his hug.

 

“You’re so perfect, jagi-yah. What did I do to deserve an angel like you?”

 

Chanyeol wondered the same about Jongdae.

 

God, he didn’t want to lose him.

 

But Chanyeol knew he’d do what he had to to keep him safe.

 

He’d cross that bridge when he came to came it.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

“Hyung! Are you ready for dinner?”

 

Chanyeol turned in his chair to see Jongin and Sehun enter the studio, Jongin looking particularly enthusiastic at the prospect of food sponsored by Chanyeol’s wallet and even Sehun looked at him with something akin to puppy eyes.

 

Chanyeol chuckled as he turned to save his work before shutting the laptop off, stretching and standing up before commencing a surprise pounce on his dongsaengs.

 

“Who feels like sushi?” Chanyeol questioned the struggling complainants with a big grin, obnoxiously smushing his cheeks into theirs.

 

That shut the two up and they followed obediently as Chanyeol took them to the revolving sushi bar two blocks down.

 

“Jongin says that you finally met the hyungs. I’m surprised you’re still in one piece.”

 

Chanyeol blinked as he tried not to choke on the tuna he was chewing.

 

“Sehun knew, too?” were the first shocked words out of his mouth.

 

Jongin scowled as he flicked a shrimp tail at the younger boy.

 

“He found out by accident. He got curious as to where I was going every week so he followed me to a meeting with Junmyeon-hyung. He’s the one lucky that I didn’t let hyung take any drastic measures.”

 

Sehun had the decency to look somewhat ashamed at that.

 

Chanyeol was able to picture the scene perfectly: Junmyeon pulling out a gun on a shaking Sehun as a pleading Jongin used his pouty lips and shiny tears to appeal Junmyeon’s hyung side.

 

“Idiot,” was all Chanyeol said even as he snatched a premium gold plate off the conveyor belt and gave it to Sehun.

 

Jongin made puppy eyes at him until he got him one too.

 

“Thanks, hyung!” Jongin beamed at him and the redhead resisted the urge to pinch the other’s adorable cheeks.

 

Jongin elbowed Sehun until the other mumbled out a gratitude as well.

 

If Chanyeol couldn’t help but buy a few more gold plates after that, that was between him and his dongsaengs.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Chanyeol spent the next few days staring at Baekhyun’s number in his phone, almost giving into the urge of calling him before resolutely closing out and distracting himself with something else.

 

He wanted nothing more than to tell Baekhyun everything, to have some idea of what to do with the situation, but he also owed Junmyeon the right to the privacy of his identity. Chanyeol had done the same for Baekhyun until now, he would do it for Junmyeon, too.

 

Which was why it made sense that when Chanyeol had finally managed to stomp the urge to call him, Baekhyun was the one to call him.

 

Chanyeol almost dropped his phone in shock when he read the caller ID, heart thumping in surprise as he clutched at his chest.

 

He quickly got up to lock the door to his studio before clearing his throat and picking up.

 

“Hey, Baek.”

 

“ _Hey, kuma. I’m downstairs. Come get me?_ ”

 

That was the last thing Chanyeol expected to hear, but he still found himself agreeing.

 

“ _Great, thanks. I’m in the lobby._ ”

 

Chanyeol had never ran to the ground floor so fast before, spotting his friend chilling against a pillar as he tapped away on his phone.

 

“Baek, what are you doing here?” Chanyeol hissed as he quickly strode over to the other.

 

Baekhyun sent him his best innocent smile.

 

“Can’t a guy check up on his best friend? Especially after said best friend met up with the guy’s business rival?”

 

Chanyeol swallowed, glancing over his shoulder nervously before grabbing Baekhyun by the wrist and dragging him over to the elevators.

 

“Look, it’s not what you’re thinking, Baek…” Chanyeol blurted when they entered the lift, reflections staring back at them through gold mirroring.

 

Baekhyun crossed his arms and waited.

 

“Jongdae didn’t tell me he had brothers until a few days ago. Jun– Suho, wants to keep his identity safe and by extension them safe so he doesn’t let them tell anyone about them all being related. I didn’t tell you I met Suho, because I didn’t know if you knew who he really was and I didn’t want to breach his privacy.”

 

Chanyeol took a deep breath after finishing his explanation, waiting with baited breath for Baekhyun to reply.

 

The shorter man didn’t, rocketing up Chanyeol’s heart rate as he silently stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hallway straight to Chanyeol’s studio as if he was the one who worked here.

 

Chanyeol watched him go before remembering he was supposed to follow, scrambling out of the elevator and practically slamming the studio door closed in his haste as he locked it.

 

“I’d had my suspicions about Jongdae and Suho for a while.”

 

Chanyeol’s head whipped around to face Baekhyun, the other looking at him seriously.

 

“I knew he and Kai were related; the weekly meetings made it hard to miss. It’s a strategically disadvantageous move of him to be so regular, but Kai looks like the kind of maknae that gets his way with even a hint of a pout.”

 

Chanyeol confirmed this with a grimace and a nod, thinking of his poor wallet.

 

“Jongdae was a little more difficult. I noticed that you’d had someone tailing you when you started dating him, but it wasn’t often and it was always at a distance. It wasn’t until you two moved in together that it got more frequent and unabashed.”

 

Chanyeol looked struck. “And you didn’t tell me? I’d been going crazy thinking I was imagining things!”

 

“You’re already really jumpy, kuma. If I’d told you you had surveillance on you, you would’ve been stressed constantly.”

 

Chanyeol looked a little placated by that. Baekhyun wasn’t wrong; Chanyeol had the surprise tolerance of a cat, constantly falling over himself and clutching at his heart over the smallest things. Apparently, it was cute, which was why Jongdae made sure to prank him at least once a week to see him flail.

 

That was beside the point.

 

“Okay, I’ll give you that.” Chanyeol conceded. “Does that mean…Suho has had someone watching me?”

 

Baekhyun nodded.

 

“I’d thought Jongdae was related to him somehow, maybe his lawyer or something. Then, he sent someone to mug you, but you remembered those lessons I gave you and took care of it. Good job, kuma.”

Chanyeol sent him a weak smile. Then, he remembered something.

 

“Why hasn’t Suho done anything if he knows that we meet up? You’re literally his archenemy.”

 

Baekhyun shrugged.

 

“Fuck if I know. I’m assuming they don’t have audio on you, otherwise he most definitely would’ve tried to take care of you. He’s smart; he probably considered that we’re just friends and that you don’t actually know about what I do. On paper, we just look like college friends that meet up every once in a while. He wouldn’t put a hit on you unless he was sure, and the fact that you’re dating his dongsaeng makes things more complicated.”

 

Chanyeol groaned and pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes.

 

“Why is everything so complicated, Baek? I just want to live the simple life with Dae; why does organized crime have to come in and say ‘fuck you, Chanyeol, you little bitch’?”

 

Baekhyun’s lips twitched in amusement, but he led Chanyeol over to the couch. He manhandled the pliant redhead so that the taller had his head resting on his shoulder, and Chanyeol automatically snuggled back into him, knowing he was going to get a hellish neck ache later but always ready for cuddles.

 

Baekhyun’s fingers ran through his hair calmingly before he finally spoke.

 

“We’ll figure it out, kuma. We always do.”

Chanyeol let out a breath, not seeing many positive outcomes but choosing to trust his best friend’s words for the moment.

 

“Thanks, Baek. You’re a good friend.”

 

The gang boss simply hummed.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Over the next few weeks, Chanyeol managed to forget the fact that he was being followed.

 

It was all thanks to Jongin finally debuting to the world.

 

And like everyone had predicted, he won the hearts of millions.

 

His MV had over twenty million views within the first day alone, and that wasn’t to mention his album sales.

Chanyeol had never been prouder of an artist before.

 

Minseok, Jongdae, Chanyeol, and Sehun all dragged Jongin out to one of the most exclusive restaurants in Gangnam.

 

Chanyeol had the sneaking suspicion that they’d managed to get the reservations so easily thanks to the help of a certain well-dressed mafioso brother of theirs.

 

The celebration dinner was great, and Chanyeol felt a level of satisfaction and togetherness that night that he hadn’t felt since his last family outing with Yoora and their parents.

 

The new levels of closeness only made Chanyeol overjoyed as he thrived on giving and receiving affection.

 

Life was going so good that Chanyeol forgot he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Chanyeol was forcibly awoken by Jongdae cursing and scrambling out of bed, something about being “so fucking late Kyungsoo is going to have my balls for lunch.”

 

Chanyeol glanced at the clock to see it read 10:47am.

 

Jongdae was supposed to be in the office by 9:30am.

 

Chanyeol took a deep breath, burying his face in the pillows to have one last moment of laziness before easing out of bed with much more drowsiness than Jongdae had.

 

He went for the kitchen, stretching and popping his joints to feel more like an awake human being before starting the coffee for him and Jongdae. He made toast for the blond but opted against some for himself since he would be getting lunch soon.

 

Jongdae rushed out ten minutes later, whining as he struggled with his tie, briefcase smacking against his side as he fought the silk material.

 

Chanyeol smacked his hands away to do it up for him, put the briefcase back in his hand, gave him the coffee in his free hand, and delivered a brief peck before replacing his lips with the toast.

 

“Get going, love. I want to have my boyfriend back in one piece, so don’t be too annoying to Kyungsoo today.”

 

Jongdae sent him a disgruntled pout around the toast and Chanyeol sent him off with a pat on the butt.

 

With the blond gone, Chanyeol debated the merits of crawling back into bed but decided against it. He was going to be a responsible adult.

 

He was sipping on his coffee and watching the news when he got a phone call and blinked at the ID.

 

“Dae? What’s up? You’re using your work phone.”

 

“ _Hahaha, funny story. You see, I may or may not have forgotten my phone on the nightstand…_ ”

 

Chanyeol couldn’t help the snort that left him at that.

 

“I’ll come by the office soon, loser.”

 

“ _Thank youuuuuu. You’re amazing and I love you lotsssssss~_ ”

 

Chanyeol rolled his eyes.

 

“Love you too, dork. I’ll see you soon.”

 

He finished off the last of his coffee before heading back into the bedroom to get dressed. He was in the middle of changing when he got another phone call.

 

“Hey, Baek.”

 

“ _I’m bored and hungry. Lunch? I'll come pick you up so don’t say no. Fulfill your best friend dutiessss, Chanyeollie._ ”

 

Chanyeol huffed; sometimes he wondered how he’d managed to get two whiney babies in his list of favorite humans.

 

“I have time, but you need to drop me off at Jongdae’s office first. He was in a rush this morning and forgot his phone so I’m going to bring it to him.”

 

Baekhyun snorted.

 

“ _You two are useless without each other. You at the apartment then?_ ”

 

“Yup.”

 

“ _Be there in ten._ ”

 

“Thanks, Baekkie.”

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Baekhyun dropped Chanyeol off at the corner and the shorter made him promise to keep the kiss count to one and not to take longer than ten minutes.

 

Chanyeol waved off the other’s threats, passing Kyungsoo on the street and sending him a jaunty wave as he hurried to the office.

 

He was at Jongdae’s door within the next two minutes and, anticipating the attack, swiftly dodged out of Jongdae trying to grab him for what was sure to be a very nice but entirely too lengthy gratitude necking.

 

“Here’s your phone, love. I’d stay but I already have lunch plans and my friend made me promise not to get distracted.”

 

Jongdae’s lip jutted out and Chanyeol let him have his wae of petulance before leaning down to deposit one kiss on the corner of the blond’s mouth.

 

“You in the mood for Thai tonight?” The redhead questioned, hoping that Jongdae was going to agree to takeout and some Netflix.

 

Jongdae was the one to look apologetic this time.

 

“Actually, I made plans with Junmyeon-hyung for dinner. He called after I was done talking to you. I’ll buy you lunch tomorrow though.”

 

Chanyeol sighed but agreed, leaving to head back down and reconvene with Baekhyun.

 

“You actually made it on time, I’m impressed.”

 

Chanyeol sent him a squinty-eyed look.

 

“We’re not that bad, you know.”

 

Baekhyun snorted.

 

“No, you are.”

 

Chanyeol was so used to Baekhyun knowing him inside and out that he didn’t realize at the time that the shorter had never actually watched Chanyeol and Jongdae interact in person.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Chanyeol stretched as he worked on a kink in his neck, checking the time on his laptop and deciding to call it a night.

 

He shut everything down and took a few minutes to reorganize his space before shutting the lights off and leaving. Wanting a bit of a change from his usual route, he decided to go past the dance practice rooms. It wasn’t too late, but he did see a few people also leaving for the night and paused to exchange platitudes. However, he did a double-take when he saw Jongin still in a room.

 

He knocked on the door before entering, frowning when he saw how exhausted the younger looked. The dark circles under his eyes were deep and heavy, and there was so much sweat pouring off of him that Chanyeol was worried about dehydration.

 

His eyes widened when he saw Jongin stumble, rushing forward just in time to catch the idol before he could collapse.

 

“Shit, Jongin, are you okay?” Chanyeol breathed, pulling the younger over to a chair and setting him down. He kneeled, checking Jongin’s temperature and the rate of his breathing. He practically burned to the touch, and his inhales and exhales were nothing short of erratic.

 

He whirled around, searching for a water bottle before spotting a duffel bag in the corner. He rushed over and grabbed it, unzipping it and yanking out water and a towel. He made Jongin drink the water first before patting his head and neck dry.

 

“You dumb brat!” Chanyeol hissed, words sharp but toweling careful and gentle. “Why did you work yourself into a fever like this? How long have you been feeling sick?”

 

Jongin made a pitiful sound, breath coming out in short gasps.

 

“‘M sorry…just wanted–wanted to be good for…for the stage perform–performances…”

 

Chanyeol felt his heart break and he heaved Jongin up, arranging him so that he could support the other by the waist, slinging the younger’s arm over his shoulders.

 

“Just…a few days…” Jongin mumbled, drooping so much that Chanyeol had to jostle him back into standing.

 

“Come on, we’re getting you home. And I _am_ going to talk to your manager; there was no reason he should have let it get this bad.”

 

Jongin made a protesting noise, but he couldn’t even form his argument properly.

 

Chanyeol managed to make it to the carpark, shuffling around in Jongin’s duffle for the keys. He had just pulled them out when he noticed the figure leaned up against the younger’s car. They were dressed in all black, wearing a baggy jacket, cap, and face mask.

 

Chanyeol swallowed down the feeling of unease as he made a split-second decision.

 

He turned and began walking back to the exit, intent on avoiding this clearly suspicious disaster waiting to happen. He would get back into the safety of the building and call a cab, get Jongin home, and let Jongdae know what happened.

 

“Now, where do you think you’re going?”

 

Chanyeol froze, and he tried to walk faster, but it didn’t take very long for the masked man to block their way.

 

There was a very, very large knife in his hands.

 

Chanyeol was so, so fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally wanted to wait to post chapter 2 until I got at least 1 comment :') But my roommate is nicer than me and told me to just post this anyway. Next update should be coming in a week, and I hope y'all can leave me some food for thought in the meanwhile :''''''') Thanks for reading and I'll see y'all in a bit~~~


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we going hard from beginning to end yeehaw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter 4 isn't done yet pls don't kill me i got really distracted with a SuYeol smut that will be uploaded very, very soon (yes, i was very thirsty for it after writing this fic ngl) i promise it'll be done soon! There are only a few more scenes left aaaaaaaa

“What do you want?” Chanyeol demanded, internally proud that his voice didn’t waver. Small victories, he supposed.

 

“I don’t have business with you. Just hand over the boy.”

 

Well, that didn’t sound like anything Chanyeol wanted to hear at all. Jongin had just debuted; he didn’t expect kidnapping threats so soon.

 

Or maybe it didn’t have anything to do with the fact that Jongin was an idol and everything to do with the fact that _Jongin’s_ _hyung was a high-profile mafia boss_.

 

“Why don’t you get your ass out of here before I call the cops?”

 

The masked man didn’t reply, and Chanyeol had barely processed that the man was moving, metal gleaming in the lighting as it thrust forward toward them.

 

Chanyeol shoved Jongin aside, a sharp pain flaring up in his arm as the knife cut him. The man advanced toward him again and he scrambled backwards, fumbling to try to get out his keychain so he could use the pepper spray on it.

 

He yelped when the masked man got up in his space again, knife almost grazing his chest, but managed to hold up the spray and get him right in the eyes.

 

“ _Fuck!_ ”

 

He stumbled back, hands going to his face as he dropped the bloody knife on the floor. Chanyeol bit his lip as he tried to remember the move Baekhyun taught him on how to knock someone out, hand shooting out to strike the distracted attacker on the neck.

 

He went down like a ton of bricks.

 

Heart beating wildly and adrenaline pumping through his system like never before, Chanyeol fell to his knees, trying to process what had happened. He catalogued the cut on his arm, wincing as the blood spilled from it and dripped onto the floor.

 

Then, he remembered Jongin.

 

Eyes widening as he cursed himself for forgetting the younger momentarily, he rushed over to him, nearly tripping in his haste.

 

Chanyeol felt panicked tears well in his eyes when he saw that there was a deep gash along Jongin’s side, red pooling quickly on the concrete around him.

 

He swore, yanking off his hoodie and pressing it down hard against the younger’s wound, wincing in sympathy when Jongin let out a strangled yell that gurgled into a whimper.

 

Chanyeol startled when his phone began to ring loudly.

 

He let go of the hoodie with one hand, trying to ignore the slick red against his palms as he picked up without looking at the caller ID.

 

“ _Listen well, Chanyeol, because I will not repeat myself. You are going to get into Jongin’s car and use my directions to get to a safehouse. It will take you seven minutes to reach there. Don’t bother with questions if you want Jongin to live._ ”

 

Chanyeol didn’t hesitate.

 

“Whatever it takes.”

 

He hauled Jongin up, careful not to jostle him too much as he got them to the car, laying him down in the back.

 

“Just hang on, Jonginnie. You’re gonna live,” Chanyeol stated firmly. He got into the front seat, buckling in and starting up the car. “Where am I going?” he asked as he put the phone on speaker, already backing out and beginning to leave the garage.

 

And if Chanyeol sped and broke a few traffic laws, it was for the best.

 

There was no way in hell he was going to let Jongin die, especially on his watch.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

The caller led Chanyeol to a fancy high rise that required a special pin to get inside. He parked in the exclusive floor space he was told to, questioning what he was supposed to do next when the call suddenly cut off.

 

Before he could start to panic, Junmyeon and a tall brunet rushed to the car and promptly helped Chanyeol extract Jongin and bring him to the private elevator that they had come from.

 

“What happened?” Junmyeon whirled on Chanyeol as his brunet companion focused on staunching the bleeding.

 

Chanyeol ran his hand through his hair, shaking as he explained.

 

“He almost collapsed in the training room so I was going to take him back home; he has a fever— oh god, that’s going to get worse isn’t it? He’s not going to die, is he? Please tell me he’s not going to die, I can’t—”

 

“Chanyeol!” Junmyeon barked, making the taller flinch at the volume. “What happened after he collapsed? Focus!”

 

“I–I took us to the car park, but there was some masked guy was there already. He had a really big knife and said he was there for Jongin.” Chanyeol bit his lip as he tried to hold in a sob. “I fucked up. H–He came at us with the knife, but I didn’t get Jongin out of the way in time. I messed up _so bad_. What if he dies because I wasn’t quick enough?”

 

The redhead had dissolved into hiccups, eyes spilling as he pressed his hand against his mouth.

 

They finally reached their floor, and Junmyeon and the brunet flew into action again, heaving Jongin inside as Chanyeol followed them while trying not to get in their way.

 

They brought Jongin to a nearby room, which was furnished like an operating space. They laid him down on the table and the brunet reached over to a cart, picking up the scissors and beginning to cut Jongin’s shirt open to assess the damage.

 

Chanyeol’s eyes went wide and he let out a strangled whimper at the sight of the nasty gash running just below Jongin’s ribs.

 

Junmyeon sensed that yelling at Chanyeol again wouldn’t get him the results he wanted so he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he took Chanyeol by the shoulders.

 

“Look at me, Chanyeol. Jongin isn’t going to die. We won’t let him. However, it is important you finish telling me what happened. The masked man stabbed Jongin and then what?”

 

Chanyeol scrubbed at his face furiously, trying to calm down.

 

“I–I took out my pepper spray and got him in the eyes.”

 

Junmyeon’s brunet companion sent Chanyeol a look at that as he worked on cleaning Jongin’s wound, and the redhead felt the need to defend himself.

 

“After your men tried to mug me, I needed to carry around protection!”

 

“What happened next, Chanyeol?” Junmyeon redirected them once again.

 

“He dropped the knife and I knocked him out.”

 

This time Junmyeon also had a look of disbelief on his face.

 

Chanyeol shrugged, the motion helpless and limp.

 

“I took lessons in college. Anyways, I kinda just left him there? I was more worried about Jongin to be honest. Oh yeah! Someone called me? They told me how to get here.”

 

Junmyeon made an affirming noise. “That was Key.”

 

Chanyeol nodded before redirecting his attention to where the brunet had pressed down some gauze to staunch the bleeding again.

 

“A–Aren’t you going to stitch him up?”

 

Junmyeon shook his head.

 

“We have to wait for our doctor. He refuses to let us do anything that could introduce infection so basic first aid it is until he arrives.”

 

They didn’t even have to wait another minute as a man with black hair and sweet features set into a serious expression entered the room. He went straight for the box of medical gloves, snapping them on as he spoke brusquely.

 

“Alright, you know the drill. Minho, go wash your hands and scrub up. I’ll take over from here in the meanwhile. Suho, you and your guest can wait outside.”

 

Junmyeon nodded, going over to the door and holding it open.

 

Chanyeol went, but not before turning to the doctor.

 

“Please take care of Jonginnie. He’s just a kid. There’s a lot of people that love him.”

 

The doctor paused, looking at the anxious, blood-covered redhead who managed to look so small with desperation and worry. His eyes softened, and he sent Chanyeol a tiny, dimpled smile.

 

“He’s in good hands.”

 

Chanyeol’s shoulders slumped and he finally left, unaware of the way Junmyeon and Minho’s eyes followed him on the way out.

 

“I don’t need to tell you how important this is, Yixing. I’ll leave you to it,” was all Junmyeon said before closing the door.

 

Chanyeol was left standing in the middle of Junmyeon’s fancy apartment, once again feeling like he was dirtying the space just by breathing.

 

Junmyeon gave him an appraising look before beckoning him forth to follow him to a different door, opening it to reveal a bathroom. He instructed Chanyeol to take a seat on the toilet lid as he rummaged under the sink for something.

 

Chanyeol remembered that he’d been injured too when he saw the first aid kit that Junmyeon pulled out. The older man took what he needed out before turning back to Chanyeol and kneeling in front of him. He didn’t bother saying anything as he grabbed Chanyeol’s arm to examine it.

 

The cut was mostly clean except for where it dug in at an angle, and Junmyeon scrutinized it before beginning to disinfect it with some alcohol.

 

Chanyeol hissed at the sting, but Junmyeon chose to ignore the redhead’s squirming as he moved on to pat the area clean. He laid down some Neosporin atop the wound, using a butterfly bandage on the deeper section of the wound before wrapping the rest of it in gauze.

 

“Change the bandages and use the ointment once a day, but keep it unwrapped at home, so it can breathe. After three days, let Jongdae look at it and he’ll decide whether or not you need to keep wrapping it.”

 

Chanyeol looked down at his freshly dressed arm before back at Junmyeon who was already standing up and getting ready to leave.

 

The redhead grabbed his wrist before he could consider the repercussions of the action.

 

“Thank you, Junmyeon-ssi. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you and Key hadn’t taken charge of the situation…”

 

Junmyeon looked down at where Chanyeol was still holding him, and the younger quickly let go of him as if burned.

 

“You’re not as useless as you look, Chanyeol. Now, go wait in the living room. Jongdae and Minseok are on the way.”

 

Chanyeol did as he was told, cringing at the thought of getting blood and sweat on Junmyeon’s probably ₩30,000,000 couch, so he stood awkwardly by the window, trying hard not to look at trail of blood coming out of the elevator that led to the operating room.

 

He didn’t have to wait long for the other brothers to arrive, Junmyeon going down to let them up into the loft.

 

Whatever the blond been hysterically yelling at Junmyeon as they entered was cut off when he caught sight of Chanyeol in the corner.

 

The redhead felt tears well up in his eyes again, and he sniffled out a quiet, “Dae?” that had the blond rocketing over and wrapping himself around Chanyeol.

 

“Oh my god, you’re okay. What happened? I heard Jongin’s being operated on? He wasn’t hurt too badly, was he? Who did this to you? God, I’m just glad you’re okay, but when I get my hands on the fucker that did this—”

 

Chanyeol cut Jongdae off before he could deplete his oxygen supply from rushing everything out in one breath.

 

“Dae, breathe. Jongin is going to make it. He’s in capable hands. We’re both fine.”

 

Jongdae let out a shaky exhale before squeezing Chanyeol tighter and placing his head on his chest. The taller kept one arm around him, his other going to pet the blond’s hair slowly, both of them ignoring the way it shook and the dried blood cracking in his palms.

 

Even while bringing Minseok up to speed, Junmyeon was able to observe how quickly Chanyeol had gone from needing comfort to providing it, and his opinion of the other raised some to see that Chanyeol could step up where it counted.

 

He still had one flaw: he was friends with Byun Baekhyun.

 

No matter how much Junmyeon wanted to like the kid, he wouldn’t be able to trust him so long as Baekhyun was in his life.

 

Baekhyun was a poison to all that knew him, and Junmyeon knew that Chanyeol, for all his big-hearted puppy self, would be no exception.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

As predicted, Jongin’s injuries weren’t critical nor bad enough that he would be out of commission for more than a few weeks up to a month.

 

The bosses that be weren’t happy to hear that their rising star’s debut concert tour had to be pushed back, creating a fake news story about a sasaeng who got too close in order to gain the public’s sympathy.

 

There were definitely conspiracy theorists who called bull, but a majority of fans seemed to believe it and wished Jongin’s recovery to be swift and painless. There were even some who tried to figure out who the “sasaeng” was so they could deliver justice themselves.

 

Chanyeol was just glad that Jongin was okay, even if the younger was taking the medical leave harshly and in a constant state of onerous guilt and depression.

 

Chanyeol, the other Kim brothers, and Sehun did their best to keep Jongin’s spirits from getting too down, and any smile won from him was a step in the right direction.

 

When Jongin could finally go on tour, he had broken out of his funk and went back to being normal. He still had mild PTSD, flashes of the night of the stabbing coming back to him when triggered by something seemingly random and never quite remembering everything.

 

It was a small blessing.

 

Slowly, things went back to normal for all of them, but with the knowledge that they hadn’t caught the attacker or found out who sent him, it was always niggling at the back of their minds.

 

Chanyeol never asked Baekhyun if he knew who sent the masked man, because he was afraid of the answer. As much as he trusted Baekhyun, he had to remind himself that the other _was_ still a gang boss. Even if he did tease Chanyeol, steal his food, bring laughter into his life in a way that only a best friend could, and knew when Chanyeol needed a hug, Baekhyun was the head of an organized crime unit that _beat, blackmailed, and killed people_.

 

And Junmyeon was his biggest competition.

 

Jongin being Junmyeon’s dongsaeng was not a fact unknown to Baekhyun, and while Chanyeol didn’t want to believe that Baekhyun would stoop so low as to target an innocent kid, he knew the strategic advantage of it and for as long as Chanyeol had known Baekhyun, the other man was always three steps ahead of everything.

 

So, when they went out on their wine mom brunch dates or watched a movie at the theater or just plain walked around the park because they felt up to it, Chanyeol never brought Jongin up.

 

It was the easy way out, Chanyeol knew that.

 

But he just wanted things to remain okay, just for a little while.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Kyungsoo stopped Chanyeol as the redhead left Jongdae’s office, just having delivered the blond his usual lunch from _Xiumin’s_.

 

“Chanyeol…we need to talk.”

 

Brow furrowing, Chanyeol agreed and followed Kyungsoo. The shorter man led him straight back to his own office, letting him have a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk as he opened a locked drawer and pulled out a thick accordion binder. He didn’t say a word as he handed it to Chanyeol, watching with unblinking eyes as the redhead glanced at him inquisitively before opening it and taking out some pictures.

 

They were of Baekhyun.

 

Chanyeol almost dropped the binder.

 

Eyes wide, he looked at the pictures in panic before back at Kyungsoo. The other simply stared.

 

Swallowing, Chanyeol picked out a few more photos. He was in a decent amount of them, and the disparity between the ones of him and Baekhyun drinking mimosas and Baekhyun with blood on him and a nail-spiked baseball bat were dizzying.

 

“Do you have any idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, Chanyeol?”

 

Kyungsoo’s voice was soft, not even accusatory, and something about the way the normally brusque, irritable lawyer treating Chanyeol like he was a kid who was way in over his head made his eyes go hot and shiny.

 

It wasn’t an unfair analogy. The fact that it was the truth was what stung so bitterly.

 

Chanyeol set the binder down and slumped, palms pressing into his eyes as he breathed deeply.

 

“I don’t know, Soo. Everything’s just gotten so…big. I’m in the middle and I feel like if I lean too much one way, it’s all going to come crashing down. I don’t want to see anyone hurt, but…”

 

“It’s too late for that.” Kyungsoo finished for him, matter-of-fact.

 

“You’d think it be easy, picking.” Chanyeol chuckled humorlessly as he looked up at Kyungsoo. “The love of my life or my best friend. I used to love him; being in love with Baekhyun was easy, but it passed as quickly as it came. I still love him but I’m not _in_ love with him. He knows me better than I know myself, sometimes.”

 

There was something in the lawyer’s gaze that Chanyeol couldn’t read, something familiar and nagging that he just couldn’t place.

 

“Baekhyun is easy to love because he knows how to make people like him, Chanyeol. However, I will say the fact that he seeks you out after all this time and answers when you call sets you apart from others. He cares for you, in his own way.”

 

Hearing that validated Chanyeol in some way, and he didn’t realize the words were something he craved to hear until Kyungsoo had said them.

 

“Junmyeon knows that you’re in contact with Baekhyun. That’s why he doesn’t trust you fully. He hasn’t been able to read Baekhyun, and that makes him uneasy. I’m not working for either side, but I do know a considerable amount more about Junmyeon than Baekhyun, so I tried to look into him. I’ve been digging for months and all I’ve found are the things he created for himself when he was twenty. He’s an infuriating one, I’ll tell you that; you definitely have a type.”

 

The look that Kyungsoo leveled on him was judging and Chanyeol felt himself go red.

 

“I don’t know how to help you, Soo. And even if I did, I wouldn’t. I don’t want to pick sides and make things worse,” he insisted.

 

“The longer you stay neutral, the harder they will vie for you. Junmyeon and Baekhyun may be grand masters of planning, but there is only so much patience they have. You need to be ready for that, because when it comes down for you to decide, they will do what they must to force your hand. It’s not going to be pretty, and you're not going to walk away unscathed.”

 

Chanyeol looked like he was going to be sick, and Kyungsoo took pity on him. He reached over to place a hand on the redhead’s shoulder.

 

“You’re here right now because you love Jongdae, right?”

 

Chanyeol nodded, unsure of where Kyungsoo was going with this.

 

“Then, hold onto that. Hold onto _him_. You may be in the middle of two mafioso, but he’s the reason why. If there is one thing I want to see come out of this okay, it is you two.”

 

Chanyeol found himself gaping at the shorter man, who scowled at the look, pink creeping up on the back of his neck.

 

“Soo, I didn’t realize you cared so much…”

 

Kyungsoo flicked Chanyeol’s ear in embarrassed annoyance.

 

“Shut up. You two have been so disgustingly in love with each other it would be a waste to see it all go down the drain.”

 

Chanyeol managed to smile at that.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Chanyeol took Kyungsoo’s words to heart, and spent more time trying to make sure Jongdae knew he had a loving boyfriend that adored him.

 

He made dinner most nights, insisted on giving the blond massages to work the kinks out of tense muscles, memorized the other’s schedule so he could remind Jongdae of little things when the blond forgot, and was constantly buying things that reminded him of Jongdae.

 

The lawyer had been puzzled by the sudden intense showerings of affection and had even asked Chanyeol about it, but when the redhead had shrugged and given him a dopey grin and told he just felt like it because he loved him, Jongdae had melted.

 

The blond started spoiling Chanyeol back: buying him lunch, the dumb hoodies the redhead loved collecting, and indulging his favorite kinks in the bedroom (read: anywhere within the apartment) and even exploring new ones to keep them on their toes.

 

Their friends had noticed the increased chemistry between them, and most were between awe and annoyance that their resident cavity-inducing gross old couple could get even more lovey-dovey.

 

Sometimes, when he and Jongdae were in bed, the thoughts Chanyeol had blocked out would creep back into his mind. The visions of all the ways things could go wrong played over and over in front of his eyes, and when he closed his eyes and tried to get sleep all he could hear were thoughts about how fucked he was, how he didn’t deserve Jongdae, how he was going to be responsible the next time someone got hurt.

 

He would squeeze Jongdae harder then, trying to abate the stinging in his eyes and the shaking of his body.

 

Jongdae never failed to squeeze back.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Chanyeol should have known something was up when Baekhyun had shown up at the apartment not even five minutes after Jongdae had left for work.

 

“We are going to go to a very special place today, Channie. I know I don’t normally ask for favors, but I kinda need your help for this.”

 

Chanyeol was both suspicious and hesitant. Baekhyun had never asked him to get involved with any business things before, and Chanyeol had been more than content with that.

 

But Baekhyun had been there for Chanyeol when he had needed him, so he figured it wouldn’t hurt for him to hear the shorter out.

 

“What do you need?” Chanyeol asked after a moment.

 

Baekhyun sent him an innocent look, but it was hard to achieve considering the numerous metal chains and rings hanging off his features.

 

“I want to surprise a friend with dinner, and you’re the most decent cook I know.”

 

The tension seeped out of Chanyeol at that, and he let out a surprised laugh.

 

“You want me to make some dinner? Baek, you should’ve just said so. You made it sound like a big deal.”

 

Baekhyun beamed at him.

 

“Great, now that that’s settled, let’s get going.”

 

Chanyeol made Baekhyun wait while he grabbed his wallet and keys before joining the shorter, slinging his arm around the other's shoulder.

 

“So, what’s on the menu?”

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Baekhyun took them to an area of town that looked vaguely familiar, but Chanyeol couldn’t quite place it. He figured he and Jongdae went on a date in the neighborhood.

 

He brought them to a nice-looking apartment building, leading them into an exclusive garage floor that reminded Chanyeol of Junmyeon’s own home, but there were enough differences that he knew they weren’t actually at Junmyeon’s.

 

They parked and took the elevator up, entering a sleek and minimalist apartment.

 

Baekhyun led Chanyeol over to the kitchen and showed him where all the supplies were. The shorter was just putting an apron on to assist Chanyeol when his phone buzzed.

 

His expression grew serious at whatever he saw, and he removed the apron with a sigh.

 

“Sorry, kuma. I need to go take care of something real quick. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

 

Chanyeol didn’t pry, simply waving him off as he started the prep work.

 

“Do whatever you need to. Just know that I am fully expecting a new plush within the next week as payment.”

 

Baekhyun rolled his eyes.

 

“If everything goes well, kuma, I’m going to buy out not one, but _two_ , San-X stores for you.”

 

Chanyeol’s eyes widened and he almost cut his finger by accident, but before he could question it, Baekhyun was already gone.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Baekhyun never explained what he meant or where he went and Chanyeol didn’t ask.

 

The shorter just took him home after they were done cooking and told him he’d let him know what his friend thought of the food later.

 

True to his word, he received a stream of fire, 100, hearts, and okay sign emojis from Baekhyun later that evening.

 

Jongdae had let him know earlier that week that he and a few old college friends were going to be going out for drinks and not to wait up for him, so Chanyeol changed into a hoodie and his favorite pair of impossibly soft Kiiroitori shorts and ate leftovers while catching up on Park Seojoon’s latest drama.

 

He knew it was time to go to bed when he realized he was about to topple over from nodding off so hard. He yawned, turning off the TV and bringing his bowl and chopsticks over to the sink. He washed it on autopilot, yawning again as he set them in the drying rack.

 

Once his hands were dry, he pulled out his phone, opening his and Jongdae’s chat.

 

[ **yeoliepop** ] _Going to sleep now_

 

[ **yeoliepop** ] _Hope you’re having fun~_

 

[ **yeoliepop** ] _Goodnight_

 

[ **yeoliepop** ] _I love you_

 

He put his phone back in his pocket before turning off all the lights except for the hallway’s and made sure the door was locked before going to bed.

 

When he checked his phone again, plugging it in to charge, he saw Jongdae had replied.

 

[ **puddaeng** ] _I love you too_

 

[ **puddaeng** ] _Goodnight, jagi-yah~~_

 

[ **puddaeng** ] _Dream of me_

 

Chanyeol did just that.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

When Chanyeol woke up, he realized that he was definitely not in his bed anymore. He was on a floor, not the mattress he and Jongdae had spent almost two hours picking out.

 

He blinked, mouth feeling dry and full of cotton. There was a pounding in his head and he winced as it sharpened.

 

He tried to swallow, regretting it when it felt like there were knives down his throat. He tried to bring his hand up to rub at his eyes when he realized he couldn’t move it, wrists tied tightly behind his back.

 

Lucidity washed over him like a bucket of ice and he shot up, eyes wide as he looked around to try to figure out where he was.

 

He recognized the expensive, perfectly-organized office he was in almost immediately.

 

Stomach dropping, Chanyeol turned to the desk.

 

Junmyeon was calmly flipping through a portfolio, looking for all the world like he didn’t have a bound panicking music producer still in his sleepwear smack dab in the middle of his office.

 

The redhead found himself fidgeting after a few moments, clearly not sure what to make of the situation he was in.

 

“U–Um…” Chanyeol tried to speak, voice cracking. “J–Junmyeon-ssi…what’s going on?”

 

Junmyeon closed his portfolio, and the stare he leveled on Chanyeol made the redhead wish he hadn’t spoken at all.

 

The older man stood, and Chanyeol flinched, sweating nervously. From the first step Junmyeon took forward, Chanyeol found himself scrambling back on his hands, jolting when he knocked into the side of an armchair, eyes wide as Junmyeon finally reached him.

 

He trembled when Junmyeon stretched out a hand, fingers resting atop red locks before they dug painfully into his scalp and ripping a gasp from the younger.

 

“I warned you, Chanyeol.”

 

Chanyeol tried not to piss himself at the quiet, razor-sharp edge in Junmyeon’s voice.

 

“I warned you that I don’t give second chances. Did you really think if you waited a few months that I wouldn’t catch on?”

 

“I–I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Chanyeol tried to say, words a whisper in fear of doing something to make Junmyeon angrier.

 

Junmyeon’s eyes grew colder, and he let go of Chanyeol’s hair.

 

 _SMACK_.

 

Chanyeol yelped as he was slapped, cheek smarting hot and tingly, blood trickling from where one of Junmyeon’s rings had cut him.

 

“I thought you were better than pathetic lies, Chanyeol.”

 

“I’m _not lying_ ,” Chanyeol sobbed. His breath hitched and his eyes were swimming with tears, but he tried his best not to start crying. “Why are you doing this? I didn’t _do anything_.”

 

Junmyeon clucked his tongue, readjusting his rings.

 

“The ledgers are gone, Chanyeol. It’s not a coincidence that when each one went missing, your last known whereabouts were always nearby but you were nowhere to be found.”

 

“W–What ledgers?”

 

“Usually, I’d let you play dumb all you wanted, but I’m not going to lie. I’m pissed. You should start talking now, otherwise this interrogation is going to head in a direction that you won’t enjoy.”

 

“I don’t know what to tell you.” Chanyeol stressed, cheeks wet with angry tears. “I’m sorry that something of yours went missing, but I didn’t do it!”

 

Junmyeon gave him a flat look before he turned and went back to his desk, picking something up that Chanyeol couldn’t see before turning back around.

 

Chanyeol whimpered when he realized Junmyeon was walking back toward him holding a pair of pliers.

 

“J–Junmyeon, please, I _don’t know what this is about_. You have–have to believe me.”

 

Junmyeon ignored him, leaning down to grip Chanyeol by the jaw, fingers digging in at the right angle to force his mouth open.

 

“ _Please, please, please, don’t do this. Jun—_ ”

 

The redhead’s hindered begging was cut off when Junmyeon slid the metal inside his mouth, skittering over each tooth deliberately. Chanyeol kept struggling, tears splashing over the older's knuckles but Junmyeon didn’t relent.

 

“I gave you a choice, Chanyeol. You didn’t do as I asked, and that has consequences.”

 

Chanyeol sobbed around the pliers as he felt the metal come in contact with his back molar, but before Junmyeon could grasp it, the older's desk phone began to ring.

 

There was a moment where Junmyeon paused, the office echoing with the sound of Chanyeol’s muffled, convulsive bawling.

 

Then, Junmyeon let go of Chanyeol, pliers leaving the redhead’s shaking mouth. Chanyeol sputtered, gasping for breath and trying not to throw up at the quashing taste of iron still sitting on his tongue.

 

Junmyeon’s teeth were grinding as he snapped up and swiftly walked back to his desk.

 

“ _You better have a good fucking reason to be calling_.”

 

Chanyeol had no idea who was on the line, but he knew it couldn’t be good because he watched every muscle in Junmyeon’s body tense up when he heard the response.

 

After a steely silence, Junmyeon walked back to Chanyeol with stiff movements, pressing a button on the phone before holding it between him and the redhead.

 

“ _Hey, kuma. You still in one piece?_ ”

 

Chanyeol’s eyes went wide and his breath hitched.

 

“B–Baek?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *finger guns*


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lots and lots of ass-kissing whoop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wanted to make sure that chapter four was JAM PACKED with the good shit and mayhaps went a bit overboard and almost doubled the word count as my roommate so kindly pointed out ahahahaaaaa (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞ also that SuYeol i was talking about did get posted! it's [Basket Full of Jam](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17768615) if y'all are interested lol
> 
> sorry about the wait, and i hope y'all enjoy~

“ _Glad to see Myeonnie didn’t get too carried away with himself._ ”

 

Chanyeol felt like he could definitely object to that; kidnapping, terrorizing to the point of uncontrollable sobbing, and almost ripping out a _piece of Chanyeol’s body_ was very firmly within the lines of getting carried away.

 

But he supposed that to a pair of gang bosses, that was probably kiddie play.

 

Not for the first time, Chanyeol lamented what he had gotten into.

 

“Baek…what’s going on?” Chanyeol finally sniffled.

 

“ _Sorry, kuma. I needed your help with this, but I never told you what it was about because I didn’t want to upset you._ ”

 

“We are way past me being upset.” Chanyeol hissed as he sent a wary glance up at Junmyeon, who was still looking stony.

 

“ _I’ll make it up to you, don’t worry. Anyways, Myeonnie. If Channie’s with you, you’re aware your ledgers are missing. I know you’re probably thinking that there’s still a way out of this, but let me raise a counterpoint._ ”

 

There was a pause before another voice spoke, deep and rich and very familiar.

 

“ _Sorry, Junmyeon. He showed up at my apartment this morning and made a…convincing argument as to why I needed to go with him_.”

 

Junmyeon’s jaw clenched, and Chanyeol could tell he was cracking.

 

“Soo? Is that you? Baekhyun, did you kidnap my boyfriend’s business partner?!”

 

Chanyeol wasn’t sure what sort of alternate universe he was living in, but he just wanted some damn answers. And Jongdae.

 

His heart clenched at the thought of his boyfriend, and he wondered if he knew what was going on, if he was worried or completely unaware that his hyung had been terrorizing his boyfriend.

 

All Chanyeol wanted was a shower and a long cuddle session involving his blond and no less than five plushes.

 

“ _Was it really kidnapping if he wanted it?_ ”

 

The phone creaked ominously in Junmyeon’s grip and Chanyeol gulped.

 

“What. Do. You. Want?”

 

“ _You know what I want, Myeonnie. Come meet us where we first made our bet. Bring Channie, too. I don’t think I need to tell you what to expect if you’ve roughed him up too much._ ”

 

If Chanyeol hadn’t had a clue as to what was going on before, he was positively drowning in helpless confusion now.

 

“If we’re going by your definition of ‘roughed up,’ he’s practically in mint condition.” Junmyeon’s acerbity was biting. “I’ll be there in an hour,” was all he said before hanging up.

 

Chanyeol was staring at him through clumped lashes and a furrowed brow, mouth twisted as he tried to will answers out of Junmyeon without actually saying anything.

 

Junmyeon paid him no mind, rubbing his temples as he went back to his desk and called Minho. When the other picked up, he instructed him to bring a change of clothes for Chanyeol.

 

Cautiously, Chanyeol readjusted himself so he was sitting with his knees folded against his chest, sending Junmyeon wary glances.

 

“You’re…You’re not going to use the pliers, right?”

 

A sigh.

 

“No, I am not.”

 

“A–And no more slapping?”

 

“No more slapping.”

 

“A–And no more yelling?”

 

A deep breath.

 

“Yes, Chanyeol, there will be no more yelling.”

 

There was a moment of pause before Chanyeol spoke again, voice quieter and more hesitant.

 

“Does Dae know what’s going on?”

 

Junmyeon leveled him with a look, but Chanyeol metaphorically stood his ground, even if he didn’t look too intimidating in fuzzy character shorts and wet cheeks.

 

“No, he doesn’t.”

 

The knot in Chanyeol’s chest tightened at that. If Jongdae didn’t know what was going on, he was probably worried out of his mind. Usually since Chanyeol had a habit of getting worked up, Jongdae would be the one to stay calm. But Chanyeol knew that when he wasn’t around, the blond would freak out without having a reason (read: Chanyeol) to stay grounded.

 

“I don’t think he’s going to be very happy with you when he finds out what happened.” Chanyeol’s lips were pursed and eyes accusing.

 

Junmyeon closed his eyes, fingers back at his temples.

 

“No, I don’t think he will be either.”

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Minho had shown up with a turtleneck and pair of jeans after Junmyeon had cut Chanyeol free and methodically bandaged his bleeding cheek.

 

The redhead tried not to flinch every time Junmyeon moved in his direction, but he wasn’t doing a very good job of it.

 

Minho drove them to a boardwalk, and it was so unexpected that Chanyeol didn’t even remember to be startled when Junmyeon pulled him out of the car.

 

Minho passed over a few bills to the ticket seller and they were given neon orange wristbands that allowed them entrance.

 

The situation was so surreal that Chanyeol didn’t know how to process anything as he followed Junmyeon past multiple rides and food stalls until they finally stopped at a bench next to a cotton candy stand where Baekhyun and Kyungsoo were.

 

The red-haired gang boss was leaned back against the bench, half-eaten cotton candy in one hand and the other slung along the back of the seat where Kyungsoo was sitting stiffly.

 

Baekhyun’s lips thinned when he saw the bandage on Chanyeol’s cheek and the redhead’s puffy eyes, shooting Junmyeon a look.

 

The older man simply crossed his arms and raised a brow.

 

Something snapped in Chanyeol at the silent stubbornness.

 

“Okay, first off: Soo, are you okay?”

 

Kyungsoo looked at him in surprise, but nodded.

 

Chanyeol accepted this before whirling on Junmyeon and Baekhyun.

 

“Someone better explain what the hell is happening right now, otherwise I will do something that everyone here will regret.”

 

The suddenness of his outburst had everyone’s full attention on him, and Chanyeol felt himself go red.

 

“I am sick of being torn between you two and having to hide things from Jongdae. I know I’m a generally accepting person, but I draw the line at my supposed best friend setting me up for something that gets me stolen out of bed and being assaulted by my boyfriend’s hyung with no idea of what the fuck is going on. I think I deserve an explanation for all this.”

 

He was panting by the time he was finished, face flushed and eyes narrowed.

 

Something shifted in Baekhyun’s gaze, and Chanyeol recognized the foreign emotion in them:

 

Guilt.

 

It made him angrier, but he’d already said his piece and now he would wait for them to talk.

 

Junmyeon sighed.

 

“There was a bet.”

 

Chanyeol’s teeth grit.

 

“A…bet.”

 

“You know that we’re two separate entities, yeah?” Baekhyun cut in, and Chanyeol nodded. “Well, you see Myeonnie and I had a bit of a thing, but the nature of our jobs didn’t let us explore what we could be fully. So, I made a bet with him a year ago.”

 

The knowledge that Junmyeon and Baekhyun had been seeing each other was something that Chanyeol chewed on for a few moments. He supposed all the tension between the two’s gangs could’ve been seen as sexual in hindsight, but he never would’ve guessed that they’d acted on it.

 

“Back up. You and Junmyeon _fucked_?”

 

“He’s hot, I’m hot. It became a regular thing, you know how it goes.” Baekhyun said it nonchalantly, and Chanyeol’s teeth grinded.

 

“Yeah, I know. I’m starting to regret it all in the first place, too.”

 

If Chanyeol hadn’t known Baekhyun so long, he wouldn’t have been able to catch the wince that the other managed to hide.

 

“Let’s just say that feelings started to get involved, so we figured we’d get serious and make a deal so that everything would work out if we decided to pursue us being together properly.”

 

Chanyeol had never thought that Baekhyun would ever actually find someone he’d be willing to settle for, and it was both ironic and in hindsight unsurprising that it was a fellow gang boss. What he wanted to know now, however, was what the hell this deal was and why he was caught up in the middle of it.

 

“And the deal?”

 

Junmyeon answered this time.

 

“If he managed to get his hands on all three of my business ledgers, he would win and we would merge the gangs under his name. If he failed to get them within a year, I would win, and it would’ve been under mine instead.”

 

The older man sounded resigned, and Chanyeol would’ve felt bad for him if Junmyeon hadn’t been a total asshole to him.

 

Chanyeol’s brow furrowed as he began to review the last year over in his mind.

 

“Baek…did you send me to Minseok-hyung’s café so often so that I would end up meeting one of Junmyeon’s brothers?”

 

Baekhyun nodded, albeit a bit hesitant at Chanyeol’s blank tone.

 

“You used me to steal these ledgers; how?”

 

Baekhyun sucked his lip ring between his teeth before exhaling.

 

“The person that attacked you was sent by me. I told him to wait until an opportunity where you and either Jongin or Minseok were together so that he could nonfatally wound them and Junmyeon would be forced to bring you to his house and call Yixing. That’s how I found out where Junmyeon’s current address was and was able to follow Yixing back home. I knew he kept one ledger with himself, another with Yixing, and one at his office. That time you dropped Jongdae’s phone off, I cloned it so that way I could get access to Junmyeon’s own devices through a Trojan program. Then, that time we took that alley shortcut and when you made dinner for my friend, I used the chance to steal the ledgers. I knew they wouldn’t have been able to find you where I’d left you. I didn’t need you for the one Myeonnie keeps in his office, so I got it without having to get you involved.”

 

Chanyeol choked in rage.

 

“Didn’t get me involved? How _kind_ of you to leave me out of _one_ instance, as if that would cancel out _all the other fucking times you used me_. What would you have done if Junmyeon had actually hurt me? Killed me even? God, Baekhyun, did you even fucking _think_?”

 

Junmyeon frowned.

 

“I wouldn’t have killed you, Chanyeol.”

 

“ _Well_ , that makes everything just peachy doesn’t it?!” Chanyeol spat.

 

“Look, I know you don’t get it, kuma, but my reputation and job were on the line. I’d do whatever it takes to get to the top, but I wasn’t ever going to let you get hurt.”

 

Chanyeol laughed with utter disbelief.

 

“You’re right; I don’t understand how your mind works. How _both_ of your minds work. You didn’t want me to get hurt? _Too fucking late_. Did you really think you could just lie and manipulate me and I wouldn’t mind? That you could just throw me between your archaic pissing contest for who tops and I wouldn’t mind? That promising me some fucking plushes would magically erase all of the shit you pulled?”

 

That look was back in Baekhyun’s eye; the twinge of doubt turning to guilt.

 

“God, you’re so fucking dumb. I trusted you, Baekhyun. I should’ve known better. Noona warned me about people taking advantage of me. I should’ve realized that that didn’t just extend to strangers.”

 

Chanyeol turned his glare to Junmyeon.

 

“I don’t know you very well, and quite honestly, you still make me want to crawl into a hole you intimidate me so bad, but I’m also still super pissed so that’s winning out right now. I understand that you care about your brothers and your business, that’s valid. _However_ , that doesn’t mean that you can’t use your perfect little head to consider a situation before charging forth like a one-track minded asshole. What was the fucking point of you doing all that invasive stalking if you weren’t even going to use the information you spent months gathering? You know me and you know Baekhyun, he’s the craftiest little shit you’ve ever met and I can barely handle lying to someone about a surprise party. Just because he’s my best friend doesn’t mean I condone what he does or know every little thing he’s up to.”

 

Junmyeon looked like he’d been slapped.

 

Chanyeol would’ve savored the expression if he wasn’t on the verge of crying again. He was brimming with upset and indignation, and he couldn’t shake the devastation of betrayal out from his chest. He scrubbed at his face as he felt the fight slowly draining out of him through his tears, quietly sinking down so he could set his arms down on his knees and bury his face in them.

 

“Chanyeol!”

 

Chanyeol’s head shot up, eyes wide as he turned to see Jongdae marching down to them, nearly shoving people out of his way. Key was trailing behind him, but all Chanyeol could focus on was Jongdae, his Jongdae, here for him.

 

The redhead was back on his feet in seconds, and it only took a few strides for him to crash into the blond, crushing him against him. Jongdae’s embrace was just as tight, and Chanyeol finally felt grounded again, _safe_.

 

“I was so worried, jagi.” Jongdae whispered into his chest. “Key told me that hyung had taken you and I was so afraid for you, Yeol. I didn’t know how I was going to survive the trip here, I was so anxious. I’m here now, I’ve got you. Are you okay? God, please tell me you’re okay.”

 

Chanyeol was so tense that he was shaking, and he didn’t want to spend any longer outside than they had to. He finally had Jongdae, now he just wanted to home and curl up into the sheets and forget about everything.

 

“Can…Can we just go home, please?”

 

Jongdae felt his own eyes water at the softly spoken request, hearing the vulnerability bleeding from the edges of the words.

 

“Of course, angel. Whatever you want,” he promised in an equally quiet voice. His gaze flickered over to where Junmyeon and Baekhyun were, and the sheer coldness that overtook his normally playful features was something that put the others on edge. “Just give me a second. I need to have a word.”

 

He made his way to Baekhyun first, and within the next second, the gang boss had been knocked off the bench, clutching his cheek as Jongdae whirled around.

 

Even though Junmyeon knew what was coming, didn’t mean he was able to stop it, still in surprise that his dongsaeng had just socked Baekhyun in the jaw.

 

Junmyeon stumbled back into Minho’s arms as Jongdae shook his hand, knuckles reddening.

 

“It better have been worth it,” Jongdae said icily.

 

He didn’t wait for them to answer, protectively wrapping an arm Chanyeol as he led them away, ignoring the stares and shocked whispers from onlookers.

 

Kyungsoo looked at the frozen gang bosses, and he frowned at them.

 

“You two are going to finish this bet of your’s out, and then, you’re going to fix the mess you made. Anything less, and I will make life for you very unpleasant.”

 

And then, Kyungsoo got up and left, too.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Jongdae didn’t ask about what happened even when they’d gotten home.

 

He stayed a comforting presence at Chanyeol’s side as the taller led them straight to the shower. The blond put a questioning touch at the hem of the turtleneck after Chanyeol had turned on the spray, and the redhead nodded.

 

Jongdae helped Chanyeol out of the borrowed clothing, hands warm as they passed over skin. They hesitated when reaching the bandage on his cheek, but removed it gently, thumb passing feather-light over the purpling skin and angry red cut.

 

Chanyeol mimicked the questioning touch at Jongdae’s shirt (he was out of his suit, dressed in a hastily thrown on shirt, one of Chanyeol’s in fact, and a pair of sweats) and Jongdae lightly squeezed his wrist in permission.

 

By the time the shower was at the temperature they both wanted, Chanyeol had finished taking off Jongdae’s last article of clothing.

 

They got into the stall, having enough room to fit the both of them. They’d showered together enough times that turning to wash each other’s back or Chanyeol stooping down and Jongdae bending his head when it was time for the other to shampoo was like second nature.

 

There was a moment after Jongdae had shut the water off where Chanyeol reached out and just hugged him, skin wet and radiating heat, burying his face in the top of Jongdae’s lemony head.

 

Jongdae ran a hand down Chanyeol’s side, the other stroking down his back. He leaned up to kiss the redhead’s chin before making them get out of the shower and toweling them off.

 

They made their way back to the bedroom with Chanyeol cuddling into Jongdae’s back like an overgrown baby koala, separating only to put on a shirt and boxers. Jongdae only opted for underwear himself, always running hot after showers.

 

The blond waited patiently as Chanyeol went to the shelf and grabbed an armful of San-X plushes before coming back to bed. He let the redhead arrange the toys as he wanted, keeping a sole Rilakkuma hugged against his chest, before drawing Chanyeol to him, not minding the plush between them.

 

They laid there in quiet, Jongdae running fingers through Chanyeol’s damp locks and the other laying against his side, warmth seeping through the thin material of the redhead’s shirt.

 

“How did you find me?”

 

Chanyeol’s voice wasn’t loud enough to break the hushed mood, and Jongdae hummed.

 

“You weren’t here when I came home, and I got a little worried because you didn’t say anything about going out or leave a note. Then, I saw that your phone was still here and got properly freaked out. I tried Jongin and Minseok-hyung, and they didn’t know anything either. Kyungsoo didn’t pick up at all, and I was on my way to calling Junmyeon-hyung when Key showed up. He just said that you were taken to him, and that he could take me to you. You know the rest.”

 

“I wonder why he went against Junmyeon like that…” Chanyeol mumbled. “Maybe all those months spent watching me made him feel pity.”

 

Jongdae paused.

 

“He what?”

 

Chanyeol took a deep breath, fingers clenching into the soft brown fur of his plush, before he began to recount everything.

 

“Baekhyun and I met in college, and he and I got close. We decided to stay friends and he was very important to me. I walked in on him talking to one of his lackeys and Baekhyun explained that he was a gang boss. It was hard to take in, but he wasn’t any different than usual just because I learned what he did for a living.”

 

Jongdae processed this.

 

“I guess I can understand that in a sense. Junmyeon-hyung was always pretty set on being able to afford the best luxuries for himself and us. It was a bit of a shock when we realized how he got to where he was, but he’s our brother so we accepted it.”

 

Chanyeol nodded, fingers drumming lightly on Jongdae’s arm.

 

“I just told Baekhyunnie not to involve me in anything, but he could rant about things if it helped him feel better. He made me promise not to tell anyone about him, too. That’s why I never brought him up to you.”

 

Jongdae shrugged.

 

“Can’t fault you for doing the same thing I did, Yeol.”

 

“After…after we moved in together, I felt like I was being watched a lot. I figured it was nothing, but apparently nothing was Key. Junmyeon had asked him to keep an eye on me since we were serious and I was still friends with Baekhyun. Baek knew who Junmyeon was and told me we’d figure out something that would end okay for everyone. I should’ve known better,” Chanyeol scoffed bitterly.

 

Jongdae squeezed his arm, shaking his head.

 

“I don’t know much about this guy, but it sounds like you trusted him a lot and really cared about him. It’s on him that he took advantage of you.”

 

Chanyeol shrugged, unwilling to deal with the conflicting emotions he felt for Baekhyun.

 

“Anyways, he and Junmyeon were apparently together or something and they had a bet going on to see if Baekhyun could steal Junmyeon’s ledgers. Baekhyun used me to get them and pretty much framed me. That’s why Junmyeon wanted to…talk. To figure out where the ledgers were.”

 

Jongdae’s stare was zeroed in on Chanyeol’s cheek.

 

“You two didn’t just talk, jagi-yah.”

 

Chanyeol considered how much to say, and settled on:

 

“He talked and I cried.”

 

Jongdae sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to get much more from the redhead.

 

“He has that effect on people that aren’t his brothers, and you’re already sensitive. I’m not surprised. I’m sorry, jagi-yah. You didn’t deserve any of this.”

 

Chanyeol nodded in agreement.

 

“You’re right. I didn’t, which why I let Junmyeon and Baekhyun know exactly how fucked up the entire situation was and how pissed I was at them for being such dicks. But yelling took a lot out of me so I kind of took a break, and then you showed up. You don’t understand how relieved I was to see you, Dae… It’s like nothing else mattered anymore, because you were there and I knew everything would be okay.”

 

Jongdae crooned, pulling Chanyeol closer.

 

“You’re still such a sap. I’m proud of you, jagi-yah. I’m glad you told them off; I wish I’d been there to see it.”

 

“Ask Soo about it later; his memory is perfect when it comes to things like this.”

 

Jongdae snorted at that, and Chanyeol sighed, the sound content.

 

“Let’s just stay like this for a while, love, please?”

 

“Whatever you want, jagi-yah. Whatever you want.”

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Kyungsoo came around two days later, bearing a container of kimchi spaghetti that Jongdae usually would’ve been all-too happy to take off his hands, but he was more subdued as he let the shorter lawyer inside. The blond put the container in the kitchen as Chanyeol and Kyungsoo went to the living area, joining them and sitting next to the redhead across from Kyungsoo.

 

“How are you feeling, Chanyeol?”

 

Chanyeol heard the hesitance and genuine concern in Kyungsoo’s tone, and he tried to send him a reassuring smile.

 

“I’m holding up. I was a bit worried about you, though. Baek taking you like that must have been really sudden.”

 

Kyungsoo grimaced.

 

“It was. Doesn’t mean I wasn’t surprised when it happened, however. Which brings me to why I came. You were right, Chanyeol, when you said you deserved explanations. I believe it’s time I told you my side.”

 

Both Chanyeol and Jongdae exchanged looks of puzzlement, but Chanyeol encouraged Kyungsoo to go on.

 

“Do you remember our conversation about Baekhyun?”

 

Chanyeol glanced at Jongdae before nodding.

 

“I wasn’t completely honest about how I know him. After the third time Junmyeon came to our firm for a case, Baekhyun had also come to find out what was so good about us. He apparently liked that I didn’t kiss up to him and gave as good as I got.”

 

“I remember you mentioning representing a client named Byun, but I didn’t realize it was Baekhyun,” Jongdae frowned.

 

“I figured it wasn’t something that you needed to bother with, not unless you asked.” Kyungsoo shrugged. “Anyways, I wasn’t at all surprised that Junmyeon asked me to drop Baekhyun. When I refused, he asked me to look into him instead. I refused that, too, and that seemed to make him actually mad for once. However, we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t do client confidentiality.”

 

Jongdae sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.

 

“That’s why I don’t take on clients I know will conflict with each other, Soo. Why did you take Baekhyun if you knew it was going to make hyung pissy?”

 

Kyungsoo looked like he was getting his teeth pulled, but Chanyeol quickly back tracked from that line of thought.

 

“He has a…way about him. It’s something pervasive and inescapable almost. He realized that I was doing research on him, and probably assumed that I was doing it for Junmyeon instead of out of personal curiosity.”

 

Chanyeol’s brow twitched; only Kyungsoo would pry into a gang boss’s personal life in order to satisfy “personal curiosity”.

 

“He did his investigation on me the same as I did him… Though, he was much more successful than I was… He figured out that…I was— am in love with Junmyeon.”

 

Chanyeol made a loud noise of surprise, but Jongdae didn’t even flinch.

 

“I’m not too surprised, honestly. You and hyung always seemed pretty close and you pretty much bend over backwards for him.”

 

Kyungsoo turned a little pink.

 

“It doesn’t matter, because it’s clear that he doesn’t love me back.”

 

Chanyeol frowned.

 

“Did you actually talk to him, Soo?”

 

“…no.”

 

“Then how do you know he doesn’t love you back?”

 

Kyungsoo laughed bitterly.

 

“I always felt like I lived in Baekhyun’s shadow. Junmyeon’s head almost always revolves around him and what he does, and when I finally managed to stop focusing so much on him, I ran into the same problem with Baekhyun. Both of them are so wrapped up in each other that neither is going to notice anyone else.”

 

The _notice me_ went unsaid, but very clearly understood.

 

“Oh, Soo…” Jongdae said sympathetically. He and Chanyeol exchanged looks before silently agreeing on something. They both stood and sat on either side of Kyungsoo, arms going around him and heads laying on his shoulders.

 

Normally, Kyungsoo would have protested vehemently and there definitely would’ve been slaps and hard pinches that left the taller two yelping for mercy.

 

But right now, Kyungsoo didn’t mind his friends showing their concern and accepted their embraces, even going so far as to say he needed it.

 

“I thought I could balance out how I felt… But before I knew it, I was in a situation somewhat like yours, Chanyeol. Except, I ended up in love with the two infuriatingly stubborn jackasses.”

 

Chanyeol made another fussing noise, and Jongdae squeezed Kyungsoo a bit harder.

 

“I’m going to borrow one of those jackasses’ quotes, because it fits the situation… We’ll figure it out, Soo. We always do. Though, I still think that the best thing to do would be to talk to them.” Chanyeol advised, swallowing thickly before continuing. “I know I regret not talking to Dae earlier about all this…”

 

Kyungsoo closed his eyes, exhaling deeply and relaxing a bit more into the two before speaking.

 

“I’ll do that, but in a few more days. They’re probably still sorting out their gangs and the finalities of their deal. And I’m still beyond irked at them. If I saw them now, I may not actually hold back.”

 

Gang bosses or not, both Chanyeol and Jongdae knew that meant nothing in the face of Kyungsoo. They had watched him reduce an opposing firm’s associate into tears with a look (and that was just because he had forgotten to put in his contact lenses that day, imagine had the man actually been angry), dismantle an entire case with one sentence, and had personally felt the shorter man’s punches.

 

Kyungsoo was a force to be reckoned with.

 

He, however, was still the same person who covered for Jongdae before the other could even ask, joined them for dinner (even if Chanyeol and he were really the only ones who cooked), secretly spoiled his cat Areum, and had a much kinder heart than he liked to show.

 

Junmyeon and Baekhyun may have been self-centered and emotionally inept where it counted, but if Kyungsoo had chosen them, Chanyeol and Jongdae had little doubt that their little owl wouldn’t be able to get their heads out of their asses and wrapped around his finger.

 

“We’re here for you, Soo.” Jongdae hummed.

 

“Okay, okay. That’s enough now. You two are heavy and it’s getting sweaty.” Kyungsoo made a face, trying to squirm out of their hold.

 

“Awww, don’t say that, Soo.” Chanyeol cooed, being obnoxious about rubbing his face into Kyungsoo’s shoulder. “You know you love it when we cudd― _ow, ow, ow_!”

 

There were two twin yelps.

 

“Brat. I told you to let go.”

 

“I didn’t even do anything! Waeeeeeeeeeee!”

 

Kyungsoo left them whining indignantly on the couch as he went to heat up the spaghetti.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Chanyeol and Jongdae were startled awake by the insistent buzzer of their front door. They both stared at each other in half-awake panic before their hands flew forward, Jongdae’s forming a pair of scissors and Chanyeol’s paper.

 

Jongdae let out a very evil cackle for someone who had just woken up.

 

Chanyeol scowled, pinching the blond when the expression made him laugh harder. There was a breathless protest before Jongdae slumped back into the sheets, shoulders still shaking as he giggled intermittently.

 

Chanyeol quickly got up when the buzzer rang again. He crossed out of the bedroom and to the foyer quickly enough, checking the door cam and seeing a delivery person waiting outside.

 

He opened the door, and the delivery person sent him the fakest smile he’d ever seen.

 

“Good morning. Are you Park Chanyeol-ssi?”

 

“Yes, I am.”

 

“Very good. I’ll just need you to sign for your packages.”

 

Chanyeol did as she asked, scribbling his signature when the delivery worker swiveled her tablet toward him. Then, she put it in her side bag before pulling over a delivery cart full of boxes. Chanyeol’s eyes went wide at the sight of them, and they bugged when she told him that there were actually more boxes and she would need two more trips to get everything.

 

Gobsmacked, Chanyeol moved aside to let her unload in the living room before she left to go get the rest.

 

Jongdae came out when she’d come back from the second trip, squinting at the packages before blinking hard a few times and squinting again.

 

“Jagi-yah, I know you like to order Rilakkuma things, but…”

 

Chanyeol hadn’t even noticed that all the boxes were marked as San-X products and he found himself clutching at Jongdae’s sleeve and his own chest.

 

“Dae, I didn’t get these.”

 

Before Jongdae could question him, the delivery worker returned with the last of the boxes, finishing the sizeable mountain piling up in the corner of the room.

 

“That completes the delivery, Park-ssi. Have a wonderful day.”

 

“Wait!” Chanyeol blurted before she could leave. “Who sent all these?”

 

The worker pulled out her tablet, tapping a few things before replying,

 

“According to our records, it’s a Byun Baekhyun.”

 

Chanyeol and Jongdae exchanged wide eyes.

 

“Will that be all, sirs?”

 

“Oh, uh, yes. Have a nice day. Thank you,” Chanyeol said dazedly.

 

“Jagi-yah,” Jongdae began slowly when the worker had left and shut the door behind her, staring carefully at the redhead, “do you know why your traitorous ex-bestie sent you a lifetime supply of San-X products?”

 

Chanyeol swallowed, letting out a laugh of disbelief.

 

“He’s making good on a promise.”

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

When Chanyeol got into the studio, he almost fainted at the sight of the brand-new recording equipment sitting inside. Sitting innocuously next to the gleaming microphone stand, speakers, and interface was the latest HP Spectre laptop.

 

He spent quite a bit of time online shopping, and the sparkling, too-good-to-be-true gifts before him were things he had considered unattainable dreams, their price points steep enough that there was no way the company would justify buying them for him. And Chanyeol may have had money, but he didn’t have _that_ much money.

 

Stepping forward, he touched the interface with a tentative hand. It was real and felt so much better than he could have ever imagined and he had to take a seat in his chair to collect himself.

 

He wanted to use them so bad, to play with them and learn how to make them _his_ , but he also knew very well that they were a minimum price point of three month’s rent.

 

There was only one person who could have sent these to him.

 

He pulled out his phone, chewing on his bottom lip before deciding to bite the bullet and make the call.

 

“ _Chanyeol_?”

 

“Hey, Soo… I was wondering since you just made up with Baek and Junmyeon if you knew that they sent me expensive things that are definitely winning my shallow ass over.”

 

“ _Of course they did. You’re not a hard man to please, Chanyeol. They want to talk to you, but neither is willing to contact you first. They seem to have taken what you said to heart._ ”

 

Chanyeol knew what Kyungsoo was getting at, and he exhaled.

 

“I think I’ve cooled down enough to see them again, yeah. I’ll get ahold of Baek and see what we can do.”

 

“ _Good. I trust you to be able to handle them by yourself now, considering. They’ll be good, too. If they’re not, you know how to find me._ ”

 

Chanyeol found himself smiling at that; he wasn’t surprised that Kyungsoo had started throwing his weight around. The JunBaekSoo relationship would be an interesting one to watch develop, that was for sure. However, just because Chanyeol was ready to forgive Baekhyun and Junmyeon didn’t mean he would unless they realized what they had done wrong and apologized.

 

Though, as he looked at his new equipment and fiddled with the new Tarepanda charm on his phone, something gave Chanyeol the feeling that they were taking a step in the right direction.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

This time, Chanyeol clearly told Jongdae where he was going and who he was seeing. He also added that no, the blond couldn’t come with and not to worry when it looked like he was about to suggest accompanying him.

 

“Even Soo’s not going to be there, love. This is something that me, Baek, and Junmyeon need to settle between ourselves if we’re going to move on with our lives.”

 

Jongdae sighed, Chanyeol’s thumbs running over the back of his hands as he leaned up to peck the corner of the redhead's mouth.

 

“You’re right, jagi-yah. I’m still going to worry though; Baekhyun’s such a big part of your life and hyung is…”

 

Chanyeol understood what he was trying to say, and he plucked up a Korilakkuma plush and deposited it into Jongdae’s arms.

 

“I think a destressing session is in order. I’ll be back in a bit. Love you, Dae.”

 

Jongdae looked so small, holding the white bear close to his chest and waving softly as Chanyeol left.

 

“Love you too, jagi.”

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

They ended up meeting at Junmyeon’s apartment, both Baekhyun and the latter coming to meet him at the door to let him in. The space looked mostly the same, but Chanyeol spotted the little details: Baekhyun’s trashy grunge catalogs mixed with Junmyeon’s business ones, Areum’s cat toys neatly tucked into shelves even if the little minx was nowhere to be seen at the moment.

 

It brought a smile to his face, glad to see that they were at least all settled in together. He tried to go back to a neutral expression when he noticed Baekhyun and Junmyeon looking at him; they may know he was easy to please, but he was going to at least pretend he wasn’t for his own sake.

 

There were already drinks set on the coffee table when Chanyeol settled into an armchair across from Baekhyun and Junmyeon. He figured the Kiiroitori mug was his, eyebrow raising at Junmyeon who raised one back at him before Baekhyun elbowed him.

 

Chanyeol was very pleased to see the marshmallows floating atop the frothy brown liquid as he sipped on it.

 

“How have you been, Chanyeol?”

 

The redhead blinked at Junmyeon, a little surprised that he was the one to initiate the conversation but not put off by it either.

 

“I’ve been okay. Glad that there’s no more tiptoeing around anymore, too. I also appreciate the gifts you two sent me, but you really didn’t have to.”

 

“We absolutely had to.” Junmyeon stated, so firm that it made Chanyeol pause again.

 

Baekhyun sighed.

 

“What he’s trying to say, kuma, is that we wanted to give you those things, not because we felt we had to. It’s nowhere near a complete apology, which is why we wanted to talk in person.”

 

Chanyeol had missed Baekhyun these past couple weeks, but he hadn’t realized how much until the other had used the nickname and the way he’d broken down Junmyeon’s intentions into something Chanyeol could understand.

 

Junmyeon’s brows were furrowed, and he even looked a little frustrated.

 

“I’m usually better with explaining myself than this, but I don’t have to apologize often… However, it is very much warranted here, so I’ll do my best. I _am_ sorry, Chanyeol. You were right in saying that I could’ve thought out the situation more before acting. I only took into account that you were Baekhyun’s friend and the fact that you’re selfless when it comes to doing things for your loved ones that I didn’t factor in you not wanting to be involved in between us in the first place. I probably could’ve spared you the interrogation, in which case. I’m also sorry about scaring you, and I really wouldn’t have taken your tooth, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t still hurt you.”

 

Chanyeol stayed quiet, but internally he was content with Junmyeon’s apology. The man had actually remembered what Chanyeol had said and his words were sincere. The redhead then turned his gaze to Baekhyun when it appeared that Junmyeon had finished.

 

The shorter was doing that thing where he fiddled with his lip ring between his teeth, a nervous habit that rarely came out. He took a breath before speaking.

 

“I fucked up, kuma. All the things you accused me of hit true, and I don’t know how I’m ever going to make it up to you. I don’t have any excuses, and words wouldn’t be enough to iterate how sorry I am that I got you caught up in the middle of this and got you hurt. I’m sorry for everything, and I know my apology sucks ass right now, but I hope you’ll let me stay around long enough to prove that I do regret abusing your trust and work our way back to being someone you can call your friend again.”

 

Baekhyun’s eyes were a bit misty, and he looked truly remorseful. He looked like a guilty, apologetic puppy, and really, had Chanyeol ever been able to stay mad Baekhyun when he looked like that?

 

Chanyeol let them stew for a moment, finishing the last of his hot chocolate before setting it back down on the coffee table. Baekhyun and Junmyeon watched every movement with unblinking eyes, looking so unsure that it was hard to believe that they were both at the top of the most infamous gang family in Seoul.

 

The redhead tapped his chin in fake pensiveness.

 

“You know, those were actually very sweet apologies, but you two forgot one thing.”

 

Both Baekhyun and Junmyeon exchanged confused, worried looks as they tried to figure out what they could’ve possibly left out. Chanyeol stood and opened his arms wide.

 

“That’s right. I didn’t receive the all-important apology hug. I’ll think about not letting this affect your overall grade if I receive them within the next ten seconds and on technique.”

 

The furrowed brows uncreased and Baekhyun was the first to break out into a grin, relief washing over him as he practically leapt over the table and into Chanyeol’s arms. They would’ve toppled over if Chanyeol hadn’t been expecting it, squeezing around the shorter redhead as the gang boss hugged him too-tight, but the taller didn’t mind.

 

Chanyeol looked over as Junmyeon approached them, seeming hesitant. The redhead simply lifted an arm to make room for him and the older joined them, embrace not nearly as crushing as Baekhyun’s but definitely solid as he slowly relaxed the longer they stood there.

 

It wasn’t until a few moments later that Baekhyun spoke, voice quiet against Chanyeol’s chest but they were all close enough to hear him anyway.

 

“So…are we okay, kuma?”

 

Chanyeol hummed.

 

“You’re still my best friend, and Junmyeon is still Dae’s hyung. I don’t mind talking about it―the job is clearly a big part of who you two are and your lives even if I can’t quite understand it―but I draw the line at getting involved.”

 

“Done,” Junmyeon agreed immediately.

 

“You really are too easy, Yeol. I almost want you to put down more stipulations for my own peace of mind for you,” Baekhyun frowned.

 

Chanyeol shrugged.

 

“Call me naïve, but I do think that you and Junmyeon have grown since I last saw you. I want to be able to trust you again, and I believe that you’ll earn it back. Kyungsoo’s been good for you two, but I think it’s also been an individual improvement that needs credit.”

 

Baekhyun beamed at him, and even Junmyeon offered him a small smile.

 

“Okay, now that we have officially made up, can we separate please? I can’t feel my arms anymore and I think I hear my ribs creaking, Baek…”

 

“Oh, sorry.”

 

“Thanks. Now! Tell me all about you two and Soo. I am starving for details and you know how snippy he gets so I’ve been left in the dark.”

 

“Yessssssss. I’ve got so much to spill, kuma. Hold on, let me go get the wine.”

 

“Baekhyun, it is three in the afternoon.”

 

“So?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [EDIT 2/21/19]  
> i felt like chapter 4 was simply too long so I cut her in half! onelastchence also let me know that I had incorrectly tagged the fic as a SuYeol after my last update and i actually died and felt my soul descend so thank you so much again to onelastchence for letting me know aaaaaaaaaaaa
> 
> Pls leave me comments i'm so lonely also i'll see you in the next one :')


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> our last smutty smut of the story and the two tags that y'all have probably been curious/waiting for ;3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god i can't believe i actually finished this (ಥ﹏ಥ)

Jongdae had been ecstatic when Chanyeol had come home and updated him on what had happened, and the redhead was also excited to see that the blond had ordered them his favorite takeout for dinner. He also recounted all the tea he’d gotten on the poly’s new relationship, and while Jongdae was a bit weirded out about hearing of his hyung’s love life, he also knew that Junmyeon probably knew a lot about his and Chanyeol’s own love life.

 

That almost led him down a train of thought he did not want to visit.

 

After finishing dinner and doing the dishes, Jongdae went to take a shower and Chanyeol went to go change into pajamas.

 

The redhead paused when he went into the closet and looked at his side. He and Jongdae hadn’t done much in the past few weeks, just a few handjobs and kissing, both still worried about the situation with Baekhyun and Junmyeon to be in the mood for anything that required more effort.

 

But now that everything had been resolved, they could probably do more. And if the looks Jongdae had shot him every time Chanyeol licked sauce off his lips or the way his foot “accidentally” brushed up his thigh during dinner were any indication, the blond wouldn’t be opposed to a good old-fashioned romp in the sheets.

 

Though, they usually did it in the bed, and Chanyeol wanted to switch up the location this time. Tapping his chin in consideration, he thought over the different locations: the kitchen wasn’t tidy and he didn’t feel like cleaning it after, they had done it on the sofa plenty, the dining table wasn’t very stable, he could’ve joined Jongdae in the shower but the blond was probably almost done and he knew how whiny the other got about his skin getting pruny…

 

Brow furrowed, he pulled out his phone and went incognito (the government probably already knew what he was doing but it was for his own peace of mind to keep his history clean). He tried not to flush at the flurry of results and quickly settled on “How to get out of the bedroom and on that dick.” Most of the suggestions were the locations Chanyeol had already thought of, but there were two that interested him. They did in fact have a rug, but it would also definitely give them rugburns and cleaning the stains out would be too much effort.

 

Which left the wall.

 

The article did add that the experience was even more mind-blowing if one partner was strong enough to lift the other. It was an interesting twist, because whenever he and Jongdae had been too impatient to move off a door, they usually did it with one of them braced against it, back pressed to chest.

 

Chanyeol imagined Jongdae’s toned arms holding him up and wrapping his own long legs around the other’s slim waist and felt a bolt of want run through him at the image.

 

Mind made up, Chanyeol quickly shed out of his jeans and hoodie. He grabbed a thin sweater so he could avoid friction rashes on his back and pulled it over his head. After second thought, he got rid of his boxers too. They wouldn’t be needing them.

 

He went into the living room, trying to figure out a good spot for them as he looked around.

 

He jumped when hot hands slipped under his sweater to settle on his hips.

 

“Not that I don’t appreciate the view, but you seem to missing a few pieces of your usual bedwear, jagi-yah.”

 

Chanyeol relaxed, leaning back into the shorter man’s embrace. He was radiating heat since he’d just gotten out of the shower, and he’d already dried off. By the feel of it, he was also only wearing a towel around his waist.

 

“I’m all about efficiency, love. Now, I have two words for you, and you’re going to tell me yes or no in response.”

 

He could feel Jongdae’s building grin against his back.

 

“Oo, you’ve definitely got me interested. Hit me.”

 

“Wall sex.”

 

“God,  _yes_.”

 

Chanyeol was spun around and brought down to meet Jongdae’s mouth within seconds of the reply. He gave as good as he got, fingers gripping the nape of the blond’s neck as he licked into his mouth. Jongdae started to walk them forward, never separating even when Chanyeol’s back hit the wall and he let out a breathless moan.

 

The redhead broke away to nip Jongdae’s chin and start marking a path down the blond’s throat, nails dragging pink lines down the other’s back just to feel each thrumming sigh and groan against his lips. When his hands reached the knotted towel on the blond’s waist, he removed the offending piece of clothing and tossed it off to the side.

 

Jongdae’s own hand went to push Chanyeol’s sweater up, one hand massaging his hip bone while the other wrapped around the redhead’s length and began to stroke him. Chanyeol’s hips bucked and his tongue shook against Jongdae’s skin when the other’s finger dipped into his slit.

 

“L–Lube, love. W–We need lube.”

 

Jongdae’s hand went on a downward stroke, fondling the redhead’s balls before letting go and untangling himself from him. Chanyeol had no qualms about touching himself as he watched Jongdae go over to the couch, bending over to dig through the cushions to find the lube they still had tucked in there. He didn’t even realize Jongdae had asked him a question until the blond turned, lube and condoms in hand, brow raised.

 

“I know my ass is great, jagi, but do you want us to use condoms or not?”

 

Chanyeol swallowed, body keyed up with building tension, and he knew Jongdae was in a similar situation, if the way his dick bobbed with the slightest movement and the tightness in his knuckles were any indication.

 

“Let’s use one. As much as I,  _ah_ , love feeling you, I don’t wanna clean up a trail of cum from here to the bedroom.”

 

Jongdae wasted no time in tearing out one of the packets, tossing the rest aside as he came back to Chanyeol. He set the foil down on a side table as he opened the lube bottle and poured some onto his fingers.

 

“How do you want to do this, jagi-yah?”

 

Chanyeol bit his lip, looking a little shy at voicing his request, but Jongdae waited patiently until the redhead told him.

 

“I was hoping…that you could hold me up?”

 

Jongdae’s eyes flashed with a familiar but still exhilarating spark of arousal and he licked his lips as he pressed forward.

 

“You always have such great ideas, jagi-yah.”

 

He bent down a little to hook the back of Chanyeol’s knee against the crook of his elbow, settling the other leg over his shoulder, and the redhead instinctively curled them around the blond as he straightened back up.

 

“Is this okay?”

 

Chanyeol nodded enthusiastically, almost knocking his head against the wall and Jongdae chuckled. The taller’s breath hitched as Jongdae finally put his fingers at his rim, teasing the opening before slipping one inside. The angle was entirely new, and Chanyeol could safely say that he  _loved it_. His hands clamped down against the back of Jongdae’s neck and against his other shoulder, skin warm and soft under his palms.

 

It didn’t take long for Jongdae to open the redhead up like this, walls fluttering around the fingers inside him every time he felt the blond’s muscles flex under his legs or the other bent to nip at the tops of his shaking thighs.

 

“D–Dae, I’m ready,  _please_.”

 

Jongdae slipped his fingers out, and Chanyeol absolutely did not whine (it was closer to a pitiful sigh).

 

“I’m going to have to rearrange you, just wrap your legs around me, okay?”

 

Chanyeol nodded, and his other hand came to clutch at Jongdae’s other shoulder as the blond shrugged his leg off it, catching it in his elbow before placing the redhead’s legs against his waist.

 

“Hold on tight, I’m going to let go so I can put the condom on now.”

 

Chanyeol did as instructed, almost vibrating with anticipation as he watched Jongdae manage to open the condom and roll it down despite the handicap of lubed fingers. Then, both his hands came back to grip Chanyeol’s hips and pulled him down until the tip was resting at his entrance.

 

“Ready, jagi-yah?”

 

“Please get in me already, otherwise I might actually combust.”

 

Jongdae snorted before finally easing Chanyeol down onto his dick, arms trembling minutely as he did his best to go slowly and keep the redhead upright.

 

Chanyeol’s mouth dropped open as he was stretched to the brim. Shortened prep plus two weeks of nothing actually going into him helped him feel every twitch and throb of the member inside him. Jongdae finally stopped when he reached the root, and the redhead gulped in air as he tried to adjust.

 

Jongdae leaned over to slip his tongue into Chanyeol’s open mouth, thumbs stroking over his hip bones again, and the redhead clenched a little at the simultaneous sensations. Both of them whimpered, and Jongdae pulled back to rest his forehead against Chanyeol’s clothed chest.

 

“Jagi-yah…please tell me you’re ready for me to move.”

 

“ _Yes_.”

 

Jongdae breathed a sigh of relief before lifting Chanyeol back up and then dropping him back down, letting gravity do most of the work for him.

 

A moan wrenched out of Chanyeol at how far in the blond went, and before he could catch his breath, Jongdae started a rhythm that had him gasping and fingers fisting into blond locks. Since the angle allowed Jongdae to get deeper, he managed to slide right over the redhead’s prostate, but his pace was too quick to draw out a more intense sensation.

 

Taking matters into his own hands, Chanyeol reached a hand down to start touching himself, tightening at being able to stroke off and making Jongdae groan as he fucked into him faster. Chanyeol was drowning in pleasure as his own hand practically flew off his length.

 

“You f–feel so good, Dae,  _shit_ , I–I’m close.”

 

“M–Me too.”

 

True to word, it took a few more thrusts before Jongdae’s hips slammed against in one last time, releasing into the condom as he ground into the redhead’s slick heat. Shaking with exhaustion but determined to see everything through, Jongdae brought his hand over to join Chanyeol’s and the redhead sobbed when he pressed against his slit again, hips bucking and head knocking back against the wall as he finally came, chest heaving and white spurting over their joined hands.

 

Jongdae grimaced as he felt his legs protest at their combined weight, but he also knew that Chanyeol was about as coordinated as an overcooked noodle after orgasming, so he ended up lowering them to the ground, Chanyeol’s back sliding down against the wall as they went.

 

“That…” Chanyeol panted, “was  _fucking amazing_.”

 

Jongdae wheezed as he tried not to cramp up, but he was still feeling the high of endorphins and the sex had indeed been fucking amazing as Chanyeol had put it.

 

“Ditto, but,” Jongdae winced as he rubbed his too-taut calves, “we need to figure out a way to not put my legs out of commission after.”

 

“C–Clearly, we need t–to add more leg days to the schedule.”

 

Jongdae narrowed his eyes at the redhead, flicking his nipple to show him the sass wasn’t appreciated and making Chanyeol shriek. They devolved into a flurry of retaliatory pinches and tickles before they were both sprawled on the floor, even more breathless than before.

 

“Okay, i–if we still can–can’t stand in five minutes, we crawl.” Jongdae huffed out.

 

Chanyeol sniffled sadly.

 

“We r–really are old men…”

 

The two’s fears were unfounded when they managed to get up within the next minute, and they cheered over their regained youth.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

A few days later when Jongdae was driving the two of them home, he posed a question that had Chanyeol pausing.

 

“How do you feel about babysitting next weekend?”

 

Chanyeol blinked, and when Jongdae waited patiently, he knew he hadn’t heard him wrong.

 

“Whose kid are we looking after?”

 

“One of my noonas won a trip from her company, and her current babysitter’s not available then so she asked me. Jonginnie likes kids, but Sehun freezes around children because he’s not used to not being the resident brat. Minseok-hyung works throughout the weekend, and Junmyeon-hyung, well…”

 

Chanyeol pondered it before deciding there was no harm in it.

 

“Sure, let’s do it. Tell me more about the kid.”

 

“Her name is Mobyul, and she’s five years old. She’s actually really adorable, but I don’t spend as much time with her as Jongin does, so we’ll probably be able to get more details from him and Haseul-noona. I have some pictures on my phone, so I can show you when we get home.”

 

Jongdae actually sounded excited about this, and his enthusiasm infected Chanyeol, unable to help but to return the wide grin Jongdae sent him before looking back at the road.

 

Chanyeol watched him, the way the streetlights hit the planes of his face, lighting up the curved smile on his lips and the giddiness bright in his eyes, and he couldn’t help but to feel warm all over. The blond was so beautiful, and Chanyeol loved the little moments like this where he couldn’t help but just fall a little deeper.

 

Jongdae held his hand at the next red light, and when he squeezed, Chanyeol’s heart felt it too.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

There was an air of both excitement and some nervousness as Jongdae and Chanyeol prepared the apartment for Mobyul’s arrival. They set up their guest room with Korilakkuma things when Jongin told them that she was currently very into the white bear. Haseul told them that Mobyul wasn’t a big fan of spicy things, and ate everything but carrots. Haseul asked worriedly if the conditions were too inconvenient, and Jongdae teased her that “yes, it actually was and Haseul needed to pay up for new groceries.”

 

Friday evening came all too soon, and Haseul showed up at the couple’s door with an overnight bag and a shy Mobyul who looked happy to see Jongdae, but nervous at Chanyeol, his towering height not helping her feel comfortable.

 

Chanyeol resisted the urge to melt at the sight of the little girl, she had straight shoulder length hair and big eyes behind bigger glasses, biting her tiny lip as she sent him furtive glances.

 

“Noona, it’s good to see you! Congratulations on the trip!” Jongdae grinned, moving forward to hug his cousin, who laughed and returned it. Then, he squatted down to ruffle Mobyul’s hair. “Mobyullie! It’s been a long time! Aigoo, you’ve grown so much~”

 

Mobyul giggled at that, cheeks flushing at the praise.

 

In the meanwhile, Chanyeol bowed to Haseul, introducing himself, and she did the same. The action had Mobyul remembering that Chanyeol was there and she looked up at him with suspicion.

 

Chanyeol felt nervous himself at the distrust, and Jongdae rolled his eyes before pulling the redhead down to his level.

 

“This is Chanyeol-oppa. He’s going to be looking after you with me.”

 

Chanyeol gave her his best smile, sweating when she stared harder at him.

 

“Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mobyullie.”

 

Mobyul glanced up at her mother, who gave her an encouraging smile and a pat to the back. Mobyul squared her face up before bowing quickly, little fingers clutching at the straps of her Korilakkuma backpack.

 

“Hello, Chanyeol-oppa. Please take care of me well.”

 

Chanyeol made a tiny noise as he clutched his chest, and Jongdae cooed a little.

 

“I heard you liked gimbap, so I thought we could make some for dinner, if that’s okay with you?” Chanyeol said, and Mobyul’s head whipped up with a gasp, hope dancing across her eyes.

 

“Yes! Yes!”

 

Haseul cleared her throat.

 

“Thank you, oppa,” Mobyul tacked on.

 

“Well,” Haseul smiled at them, “looks like our Byullie is in good hands.” She ruffled her daughter’s hair, the girl blinking up at her. “I’ll be back to pick you up on Sunday. Be good to Jongdae-oppa and Chanyeol-oppa, okay?”

 

“Yes, umma.”

 

Haseul pecked Jongdae on the cheek, gave Mobyul one last hug and kiss, and took her leave.

 

“Let’s go put your things in your room, hm?” Jongdae suggested before Mobyul could feel Haseul’s absence too strongly.

 

Mobyul nodded, pattering after the two men as they led her to the guest room, and she gave a little squeal of delight at the sight of all the Korilakkuma arranged on the bed. She set her backpack down at the foot of the bed, all the while darting longing glances at the plushes.

 

Chanyeol picked up the astronaut one, handing it to the girl.

 

“Do you want Byullie?”

 

Mobyul skipped on her feet a little, fisting her skirt as she gasped.

 

“Her name is Byul, too?!”

 

Chanyeol nodded, and tried not to grin too hard when Mobyul took the plush, squeezing it in her arms and swaying with it.

 

“She hasn’t had anyone to play with in a while, so I’m sure she’s happy that you’re here now.”

 

Mobyul pulled back to look up at Chanyeol seriously.

 

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she isn’t lonely anymore.”

 

“Aigoo, how reliable~”

 

Chanyeol did his best to keep a straight face, but when Mobyul looked back down at the plush, the redhead turned to Jongdae and made a flailing motion from cuteness overload, but then realized that the blond had been filming it all. He gaped in betrayal, watching as Jongdae dissolved into giggles, biting his fist to no avail.

 

Mobyul blinked at their silent interaction. She decided that Jongdae was just as weird as she remembered, and Chanyeol was his equal.

 

They had good taste in decoration though, and when Chanyeol offered to let her ride on his shoulders, she knew that she was going to have a good time here.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

They spent the next few months happily babysitting Mobyul, even snatching her up when Haseul didn’t even need them to watch her. They spent so much time spoiling and spending time with her that even Jongin complained that when he wanted to see her, half the time he had to go to Chanyeol and Jongdae.

 

Mobyul didn’t play favorites with her oppas, but it wasn’t a stretch to say that she loved spending time with “Chanyeollie-oppa” and “Jongdae-oppa.”

 

Sometimes, Jongdae and Chanyeol would be hit with a feeling of wistfulness, a distinct emptiness in where they could imagine youthful giggles and chubby cheeks lit with a smile.

 

Neither knew how to address the issue with each other though, so they simply enjoyed the time they spent with Mobyul instead.

 

The feelings were put on pause, however, when Chanyeol and Jongdae were both reached out to by two thirds of their resident poly.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Baekhyun and Chanyeol met at their café like they had dozens of times before, but the news the gang boss told the taller had him almost spitting out his mimosa.

 

“ _You’re getting married to Junmyeon and Kyungsoo?!_ ”

 

Baekhyun beamed at him, showing off his gleaming rose gold ring like the haughty engaged fiancé he was and Chanyeol positively shrieked with happy surprise.

 

They drew some looks, but Chanyeol was already grabbing at Baekhyun’s hand and inspecting the new jewelry.

 

“I don’t even know how this is legal, but I am so happy for you, oh my god, Baek!”

 

Baekhyun gave him an offended look.

 

“Kuma, when have I ever done anything legal? Of course we’re getting three-way gay married against the law, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

 

Chanyeol giggled, full of bubbly elation for his best friend.

 

“Silly me,  _of course_. So, tell me everything.”

 

“It was, believe it or not, Kyungsoo who proposed. We had all discussed a ceremony to solidify our bonds and claim each other for life and all, but I was still looking at catalogues when Kyungsoo had taken charge of date night. He made dinner and sang to us and everything, the poor thing was shaking when he got down on his knee, but it didn’t matter when he opened the box and we saw the rings inside. You definitely heard it from me: Junmyeon actually cried. I was a snotty mess, but it was different because you know how polished Myeonnie likes to present himself. I don’t know where our little penguin got the money, but he got me this, Myeonnie a white gold ring, and himself a plain gold one. Needless to say, we treated our man real good that night.”

 

Chanyeol went a little red at the innuendo and the eyebrow waggle Baekhyun sent him.

 

“That’s sweet, Baek. I know I said it already, but I’m really happy for you.” Chanyeol smiled, reaching over to pinch the shorter’s grinning cheeks.

 

Baekhyun reached up to grab the taller’s hands, and he looked serious as he effectively held hands with Chanyeol against his own face.

 

“Chanyeollie…I also wanted to ask you if you would do me the absolute pleasure of being my best man.”

 

Chanyeol’s eyes widened before he felt the telltale sign of tears prickle at the edges, gasping.

 

“Y–You want me to be your  _best man_?”

 

Baekhyun laughed, fond and affectionate as he watched the taller redhead sniffle.

 

“Of course, you big dummy. Who else would I ask?”

 

Chanyeol blubbered out an affirmative, and Baekhyun teased him for the rest of their brunch about being a crybaby, but he did buy Chanyeol a cinnamon roll later so he forgave him.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Planning for the wedding was more hectic than anyone had originally accounted for, and while Chanyeol couldn’t quite help with the seating charts or venue picking, he was there when Baekhyun started freaking out and needed to be taken away to breathe. Jongdae did the same for Kyungsoo when he needed it, and Junmyeon had Kibum (Key had invited Chanyeol out one day, telling him his real name; after months of watching him, he really had grown attached, and Chanyeol had gained a new friend) and Minho.

 

As far as they knew, the Kim’s mother would be coming, a few relatives, and the gang.

 

Chanyeol had no idea why they thought this was going to be a good idea, but he was also aware that he was the best man for this illegal wedding and as such kept his mouth shut and provided cuddles, platitudes, advice (both malleable and firm to ideas such as “diamond-crusted cutlery” and “instead of throwing the bouquet, we have flower cannons instead”), and tissues.

 

The actual wedding was going to be held in a vacation house (read: manor) that Junmyeon had acquired as part of a business deal a while back.

 

Chanyeol still had a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that his boyfriend’s hyung was a very loaded mafia boss. He was convinced that the older man was actually the richest man in Seoul, and if he found out he was wrong, he may just faint because should people really be allowed to have that much money?

 

He may have donated a very charitable amount to his favorite arts scholarship fund after that line of thought.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Nerves were at an all time high the morning of the actual wedding, and each of the best men were with their respective grooms, some succeeding better than others.

 

Chanyeol watched Baekhyun pace back and forth in their dressing room furiously, ranting more to himself than Chanyeol. The shorter had a very flashy diamond-encrusted earring on, a jeweled lip piercing, eyes smoked out and lined expertly, and his suit was fitted to the last thread, holding up to his wild gesticulations.

 

He looked stunning, and Chanyeol had never been prouder of his best friend. He’d never thought Baekhyun would be able to settle down with someone, let alone two people, and the nerves he had only went to show how much he cared about this going well.

 

When Baekhyun finally stopped, shooting Chanyeol an overwhelmed look, the taller reached over to grab a pillow and placed it on his lap, patting it in invitation.

 

Baekhyun was settling on the couch, head nestled on the pillow, within moments. Chanyeol hummed, petting the groom’s hair.

 

“It’s going to go over just fine, Baek. We’ve spent months planning this. You worked hard for this, and no matter what happens, the fact that Junmyeon and Kyungsoo love you and we are all here to celebrate that stands.”

 

Baekhyun steadily relaxed at the words, and he let out a deep breath, tension finally leaving the wound-up lines of his shoulders.

 

“You always know what to say, Yeol. Thank you.”

 

“Hey, what are best friends for?” Chanyeol grinned, and the returning one from Baekhyun practically lit up the room.

 

Yes, Chanyeol thought, things were going to be just fine.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Chanyeol, Jongdae, Kibum, and Minho were all standing at the altar already, and Yixing had joined them, to Chanyeol and Jongdae’s surprise.

 

“I’m not just a doctor,” the Chinese man sent them a dimpled smile. “I ordain, too. Not that the license would hold up in the eyes of the law, but I don’t think that really matters here, does it?”

 

Well, he wasn’t wrong.

 

Jongdae had been waving at his mother and brothers when the musicians began to play, and everyone’s attention snapped to the entrance hall.

 

Little Mobyul skipped down the aisle first, spreading petals along the walkway. She was positively adorable, with her hair all braided up and wearing a ruffly butterfly dress.

 

Chanyeol had already started sniffling by that point, and Kibum looked triumphant as Minho’s lips pursed and he handed the smirking man a bill.

 

And then, the thruple of honor began to walk down the aisle.

 

Junmyeon and Kyungsoo were actually wearing matching earrings with Baekhyun, and as they drew closer, Chanyeol could see that Junmyeon had some sort of peachy, shimmery shadow on and there was a tint on Kyungsoo’s lips that made them stand out more than they already did.

 

The three looked like they’d walked straight out of an expensive catalog, but the glances they were sharing with each other, the unconcealed grins and joy-flushed cheeks was real and tangible to anyone who saw them.

 

Chanyeol’s eyes weren’t the only wet ones when the ceremony commenced.

 

When it came time to exchange rings, the best men handed them over with encouraging smiles.

 

Junmyeon made a joke, something lame as his voice cracked, but it still had people laughing and the nerves dissipating some.

 

“Well, all that’s left now is the kiss, if you three would like to.”

 

At Yixing’s words, the audience watched, curious and transfixed as Junmyeon, Baekhyun, and Kyungsoo all leaned in and managed to press their lips together momentarily before pulling away.

 

It had been sweet, but Chanyeol only started hiccupping when he saw the way they entwined their hands together, rings gleaming on their fingers.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

With the ceremony completed, they had moved on to the dining hall and eaten a lunch that had taken two bribes and a week for the poly to agree on, as speeches were given by the grooms, best men, and Mrs. Kim herself.

 

Now, the guests were mingling, and Jongdae had taken custody of Mobyul, walking around with her in his arms as Chanyeol got them drinks.

 

The redhead didn’t miss the variety of looks he’d been receiving as he went to the bar, and he knew that most of them were from members of Junmyeon and Baekhyun’s gang. Jongdae had been getting looks, too, and Chanyeol for the life of him, had no clue as to what they’d done in order to get such scrutiny.

 

He spotted Kibum while he was waiting, and he immediately went over to the other man.

 

“Hyung!” he hissed. “Why do people keep staring at me and Dae?”

 

Kibum sent him a sly smile, and Chanyeol knew well by now that it meant nothing good.

 

“They’re probably just interested in the men who ripped our bosses a new one and got away with it.”

 

Chanyeol’s eyes widened at that, and when he glanced around to try to make eye contact with any of the scrutinizers, they all turned away, some more nervously than others.

 

“Hyung, what did you do…”

 

Kibum raised a brow at him.

 

“I didn’t do anything. I wasn’t even there when you yelled at Junmyeon-hyung and Baekhyun, but Minho told me everything. So, if I told some friends about how you stood up to them and how Jongdae landed some impressive sucker punches, it’s not my fault they spread the information among themselves.”

 

Chanyeol stared at the older man as if he’d grown a second head.

 

“Hyung, I never knew you were such a gossip. Isn’t that bad for your line of work?”

 

Kibum scoffed.

 

“I’m not giving away classified information. Besides, it’s good for morale. Our gang pretty much runs on loyalty and gossip, anyways.”

 

Chanyeol always thought he had a grasp of how gangs worked, but it was clear either he actually knew nothing or Junmyeon and Baekhyun just ran a very unconventional group.

 

Kibum took pity on him, patting Chanyeol’s shoulder.

 

“They respect you two, and that’s a pretty nice accomplishment if I say so myself. Don’t stress too much about it, because if they haven’t already, they’ll realize soon enough that you’re just a giant crybaby and Jongdae’s a whiney sap.”

 

Chanyeol should have felt offended but did actually feel better at that. Kibum swanned off to mingle and Chanyeol collected the drinks.

 

Jongdae grinned and he and Mobyul both waved at him as Chanyeol made his way back, and he felt the unnamed pang echo deep within his ribcage.

 

Maybe it was time to dig deep and find the courage that had enabled him to yell at Junmyeon and Baekhyun again.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

A few days later, Chanyeol was cooking dinner with Jongdae seated on one of the counters, legs swinging against the cabinets as the redhead added things into the jjamppong simmering on the stove, smells of spices and seafood in the air.

 

“Can you believe they went to Bora Bora?” Jongdae whined for the nth time, still jealous of the newlyweds’ honeymoon week-long trip. “When we get married, I want to go to an island, too.”

 

Chanyeol paused, looking up from the mussels and shrimp.

 

“Dae…‘when we get married’?”

 

Jongdae’s legs stopped swinging and the gaze he laid on Chanyeol was serious.

 

“What, you don’t want to get married?”

 

Chanyeol went slack with surprise before his eyes narrowed and he pointed his cooking chopsticks at the blond threateningly.

 

“Kim Jongdae, of course I want to marry you. But if that was a proposal you receive a negative one thousand out of ten.”

 

Jongdae flashed him a row of pearly white teeth, lips curled too much to be innocent.

 

“Don’t be silly, jagi-yah. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page so that way we could wow each other without any nasty surprises.”

 

Chanyeol sent him a suspicious look before deciding to take the words for what they were, stirring the noodles.

 

“Okay. Well, yeah. I definitely want to marry you one day, even if you are a little imp.”

 

“Yah! Who’re you calling an imp, you giant nerd!”

 

Jongdae pounced off the counter and Chanyeol had a second to turn off the stove before bolting, dodging out of the blond’s reach and managing to make it into the living room before he was tackled into the couch, both of them breathless with laughter as Jongdae mercilessly tickled the redhead and he tried to retaliate.

 

“I am absolute catch, you brat,” Jongdae asserted as his fingers assaulted Chanyeol’s sides.

 

Chanyeol was wheezing, batting at the blond’s hands as he giggled.

 

“Okay! Okay! You are!”

 

Jongdae finally stopped, crossing his arms as he nodded triumphantly.

 

“And don’t you forget it.”

 

Chanyeol snorted, and he placed his hand at the blond’s nape, bringing him down for a kiss.

 

“You are a wonderful, gorgeous boyfriend and I am lucky to have you.” Chanyeol murmured against Jongdae’s lips, and the blond’s eyes lit up, cheeks coloring as he kissed him again. “Doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to tease you, though.”

 

Jongdae nipped him for that.

 

Chanyeol resisted the urge to pinch him back, because he knew that they’d just end up in another playfight, and then the food would get cold.

 

He was going to make Jongdae get off him when he caught sight of Byul sitting on the coffee table, pausing as the sight of the plush immediately made him think of Mobyul.

 

Jongdae noticed the change in the redhead, and he placed his hand on Chanyeol’s cheek.

 

“What is it, jagi-yah?”

 

Chanyeol blinked slowly at the plush, and he knew that this was the moment. The ache was back, and Jongdae was here. He was here for more than just tonight, for the next week, but here for everything Chanyeol had to offer.

 

“I want to have a kid.”

 

Jongdae froze, and Chanyeol shut his eyes, trying not to get ahead of himself with doubt and focusing instead on the warmth of the blond’s palm against his cheek.

 

After a moment, Jongdae’s other hand came up to cradle his face and Chanyeol opened his eyes again when he felt the blond’s thumbs brush his cheekbones.

 

“I didn’t…I didn’t know you wanted that, too.”

 

Chanyeol felt the tension he didn’t know he’d built up dissipate and he sighed, wrapping his arms around Jongdae’s waist.

 

“I guess the both of us were just a little scared, weren’t we?”

 

Jongdae made a sound, something between a laugh and a sob.

 

“This is going to change a lot, you know. Are you sure you’re up for it?”

 

There was a silent  _with me_  in the question, and Chanyeol smiled up at the blond.

 

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while, honestly. I’ve had months to get used to the idea of raising a family with you, Dae. And it’s something that I want badly enough that it hurts sometimes. So, yes, I’m sure.”

 

Jongdae’s noise was clearly a sob this time, and he leaned down to connect their lips again, the taste of salt and joy lingering between them.

 

“I love you so much, jagi-yah.”

 

“I love you too, Dae.”

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Despite the revelation of shared desires, things began to pick back up at work for Chanyeol and Jongdae, Jongin’s comeback and two OSTs riding on the redhead and two high-profile cases landing on the blond’s plate.

 

Time spent together consisted of a few hours of sleep, dropping off food when possible, and sparse texts. Two months passed this way, and the distance strained the two more than they wanted to admit. Their friends worried, but there wasn’t much that could be done about the situation.

 

The only thing they managed to agree and solidify on was the fact that they needed a much-deserved vacation after they both finished.

 

It was what kept Chanyeol going as he sat in the closet some nights, staring at the ring he’d bought for Jongdae. It was platinum, studded and inlaid with sapphires. He would imagine how it would look on the blond’s finger, and he wanted nothing more than to slide it on himself.

 

He wouldn’t do it until the moment was right, however. Jongdae deserved a special proposal, and a special proposal was exactly what he would receive.

 

If he weren’t such a big romantic and absolutely gone for Jongdae, though, Chanyeol would’ve gotten down on his knee the moment Jongdae had brought up marriage in the first place.

 

✦         ✦         ✦

 

Chanyeol startled awake when  _Beep Beep_  began to ring loudly through the bedroom, and he heard Jongdae groan loudly as he tried to bury himself into the pillow to block out the sound.

 

Jongdae had already been asleep when Chanyeol had carefully crawled into bed at 2:30, and both had the next day off for once. It was something they’d been looking forward to for the past week, making sure that they had absolutely nothing scheduled so they could spend their break relaxing and spending time with each other.

 

However, the first item on their list (sleeping in) was potentially off as SNSD continued to blare obnoxiously in the middle of the night, and Chanyeol was more than ready to tear Baekhyun a new one as he snatched his phone off the bedstand.

 

“It is ass o’clock in the morning. You better have a good fucking reason.”

 

Even though his voice was scratchy with sleep, he managed to instill the threat well considering.

 

“ _There’s something we need to talk about. Please open the door?_ ”

 

Chanyeol took a very deep breath before releasing it, the last dregs of sleep finally slipping away as he grudgingly came to terms that he was going to have to deal with two hours of rest.

 

He didn’t bother replying to Baekhyun, hanging up and rolling out of the bed with the enthusiasm of a sloth. Jongdae remained a lump under the sheets, tufts of blond peeking out from the blanket, and Chanyeol envied him  _so much_.

 

Huffing, the redhead made his way to the entrance of the apartment, yanking the door open to deliver the crabbiest glare he could muster.

 

“You are so,  _so_  lucky that I am too tired to kick your ass, Baek― Junmyeon? Soo?”

 

The married thruple were all in front of the door, varied expressions of grimness on their features and Chanyeol sucked in a breath when he saw what Baekhyun was holding in his arms.

 

“Baekhyun, why do you have a  _baby_?”

 

Chanyeol may have been a naturally loud person, but even he knew to keep his voice at a low hiss so as not to startle the infant.

 

Junmyeon sighed.

 

“May we come in first, Chanyeol?”

 

The redhead moved out of the way, still in disbelief as the men plus  _actual fucking baby_  entered the apartment.

 

“I…I’m going to go wake Dae. Uh, feel free to use the living room.”

 

Chanyeol quickly escaped after that, rushing into the bedroom and practically ripping the covers off the blond.

 

“You are never going to guess what the fuck is going on right now!”

 

Jongdae yowled at the loss of warmth, trying to snatch the blanket back blindly.

 

“You’re right! I’m not! Because I’m trying to sleep!”

 

Chanyeol grabbed Jongdae by the shoulders, jostling the blond.

 

“Dae! A baby! They have a fucking baby!”

 

Jongdae’s eyes shot open and he stared at Chanyeol, gobsmacked.

 

A few moments later, the two of them rejoined their guests in the living room. Jongdae’s eyes bugged when he saw the baby, resting in Kyungsoo’s arms this time.

 

“Okay, so none of you had a baby bump the last time I saw you, so clearly this child has not been birthed by one of you three.”

 

Kyungsoo and Junmyeon sent him the most unimpressed looks Chanyeol had seen.

 

“So…why did you decide to show up here at,” Chanyeol checked the clock, “five twenty-two in the morning?”

 

“Surprise,” Baekhyun grinned, but it was definitely weaker than usual, “we got you a child.”

 

Jongdae and Chanyeol both had to sit down at that.

 

The fact that neither Kyungsoo or Junmyeon reacted to what Baekhyun had said meant that the short redhead was in fact serious.

 

Chanyeol couldn’t stand the sudden tension, shooting out of his seat.

 

“Coffee sounds absolutely wonderful. I’m going to go make some. Right now. For all of us.”

 

He felt kind of bad for leaving Jongdae behind, but Chanyeol absolutely needed to distance himself from the situation in order to avoid combusting from sheer anxiety alone.

 

Forcing himself to take deep breaths, Chanyeol pulled out mugs and the serving tray, ignoring the way they clinked when his hands shook. He moved almost on autopilot as he started a kettle and fetched the coffee and sugar.

 

He had been putting in extra hours in the studio all week in order to make sure he could have this day free for Jongdae, and he’d been dead tired when he’d went to bed, so running off an average of three hours for the week already had Chanyeol twitchy.

 

For all that he loved Baekhyun and Junmyeon and Kyungsoo, their sudden and very early arrival only agitated the redhead’s already threadbare emotional state.

 

With a baby that they apparently wanted to give to him and Jongdae.

 

Chanyeol considered that maybe he was actually still sleeping, but when he accidentally burned himself pouring the hot water into the mugs, he knew he was sadly still awake.

 

He forced himself to take more deep breaths as he finished making the coffee, picking up the tray and heading back to the living room. At least he felt marginally better now.

 

He was surprised to see Jongdae standing, the infant cradled in his arms. Carefully, Chanyeol set the tray down as he went over to the blond, peering down at the tiny human.

 

It was sweet-looking baby with squishy red cheeks and pouty blubbering lips that let out unintelligible coos as Jongdae rocked it.

 

Chanyeol had always been weak for cute things, and he couldn’t help but smile at the baby. It blinked back up at him, drool slipping out of the corner of its mouth. Jongdae was on top of it, using the nappy to clean it back up, and Chanyeol was already so, so weak. It was like he could feel all of the stress and exhaustion wash right out of his sleep-deprived body.

 

“Seriously, where did you three even get this little bean?”

 

Everyone in the room knew that the endearment meant Chanyeol had already been hooked, lined, and sunk for the infant.

 

Jongdae let Chanyeol hold the baby as they sat back down, and everyone took a mug, knowing that Chanyeol would probably drink all the coffee himself later if they didn’t.

 

“Yeah, Junmyeon, why don’t you explain how we got a hold of the ‘little bean’.” Kyungsoo said the words in a deadpan, but they could tell he was hiding quirked lips behind his own mug.

 

The bean in question gurgled and Chanyeol resisted the urge to pinch its cheeks, stroking the impossibly soft skin instead and melting.

 

“We found her.” Junmyeon explained. “She was just there, in the crib. One of the men we interrogated said that her mother was one of the house girls, but that she’d never wanted anything to do with her anyway, so when our people raided the place, she took off without a glance back. The lack of preservation for her own child was disgusting,” he scoffed. “There was no way that we were going to leave the baby there, so we brought her to you.”

 

Jongdae gave him a very tired look.

 

“Why didn’t give us a heads-up, hyung? We could’ve actually prepared marginally better than this at least.”

 

Junmyeon looked a little apologetic at that.

 

“I didn’t want to get your hopes up in case anything went wrong. I was planning on waiting until Yixing had finished giving her a checkup and getting supplies together. However, Baekhyun here had other ideas.”

 

All eyes in the room turned to the red-haired gang boss and he looked unabashed.

 

“We all know how badly you two want a kid, so of course it was better to just bring her straight to you two after Yixing made sure she was healthy and had no issues. You can’t be too mad at us when we were only thinking of your happiness. Besides, it wasn’t too bad of an idea, since I got Myeonnie and Soo to agree.”

 

Chanyeol and Jongdae were still trying to process everything Baekhyun had said when Kyungsoo spoke up.

 

“It’s sudden, we know. You can thank this one for that,” he threw Baekhyun a side eye and the gang boss pouted, “but he is right in that we only wanted to help you. Despite the sheer unrealness of the situation, it is kind of a miracle that we ended up with a baby when there is a couple among us that wanted one.”

 

Chanyeol swallowed, and despite being miffed at Baekhyun’s approach, felt touched that his friends had looked out for them like this. Kyungsoo using the word miracle wasn’t a stretch at all.

 

Jongdae drew in a breath, and Chanyeol’s head whipped to face the blond, wondering if he saw things the same way or was still too off-kilter to accept what was happening.

 

“I can’t believe you guys got us a baby,” the lawyer choked. “I want to be mad at the lack of warning, but this is actually perfect and I’m actually trying really hard not to piss my pants from joy right now.”

 

Chanyeol’s face broke out into a grin, and the thruple relaxed when they realized that neither Chanyeol or Jongdae were upset.

 

“It’s only been five minutes,” Chanyeol began slowly, “but if anyone were to try to take this baby from me and Jongdae, I will actually strangle them with my bare hands. This is our little girl now, thanks.”

 

Laughs broke out, and no one was surprised by the quick attachment.

 

There was just something about the moment, of realizing that his life was coming together the way he and Jongdae had been dreaming of, that made Chanyeol pause, and he bit his lip.

 

He had been waiting for the moment when things felt right, and despite the unconventionalness of it, there was a steady pounding in Chanyeol’s ribcage as he made his decision.

 

“This is going to sound abrupt, but you guys aren’t allowed to say anything about suddenness right now, so please watch the bean while I go talk to Jongdae real quick, please.”

 

Everyone gave him confused looks, but Chanyeol stood and handed the baby to Junmyeon before holding his hand out to Jongdae. The blond took it without second thought, following the redhead back to their bedroom patiently even if he had no idea what was going on.

 

They kept going until they reached the closet, and Chanyeol rummaged through his sock drawer before pulling out a small velvet box.

 

Jongdae made a strangled noise.

 

“ _Park Chanyeol_ ―”

 

Chanyeol squared his shoulders determinedly, dropping down to his knee. This wasn’t how he’d pictured proposing, wearing his  _Sexual Fantasies_  hoodie and infamous Kiiroitori shorts, but it still felt right as he watched Jongdae try not to cry and fail.

 

“I’d been waiting for the right moment, the most special moment, but I realized now that  _every_  moment with you is the right moment. You make everything feel special, Dae. You’re  _it_  for me; the one. I love you so much it feels like I’m overflowing with it. We’re already together heart and soul, and I want to show it more officially. So, I’m ready if you are, love.”

 

Jongdae scrubbed at his face, a wet laugh escaping from him, and he went over to his own side of the closet, pulling out a box from his tie cubby. Chanyeol’s eyes went wide as the blond came over, opening it to reveal a gold ring with a small line of diamonds running through it.

 

“Only if you wear mine too, jagi-yah.”

 

Chanyeol wanted to say something, but his throat was tight. He nodded furiously instead, tears flying off his face.

 

Jongdae’s smile was so wide, and he held his hand out. Doing his best through blurry vision, the redhead slipped the ring over his finger. Then, he gave Jongdae his own, and the blond waited a moment before sliding it on.

 

“I’m never going to let the fact that you proposed to me in our closet go,” he teased, watching the taller go red, “only you, Yeollie.”

 

Whatever he was going to say was forgotten by Chanyeol when Jongdae chose that moment to lean in and kiss him, gliding the ring on. The redhead stared down at it, at their hands and took in the fact that they’d done it; they’d somehow managed to get both their wishes to come true thanks to their friends.

 

This time, Chanyeol was going to be the one to spare no expense in spoiling them.

 

The redhead pulled back, smiling as he wiped Jongdae’s face with the sleeves of his hoodie and the blond did the same for him.

 

“C’mon, I wanna see the look on their faces when they see the rings.”

 

Chanyeol stood, Jongdae going up with him, and he couldn’t help but swoop down for one more peck before they left.

 

When they returned to the living room, eyes puffy and red, cheeks still damp, and grins brighter than the sun, showing off their newly-jeweled hands, their friends were out of their seats and wrapping them up in overjoyed hugs within moments.

 

It was only when the baby started fussing did they remember themselves, and Jongdae was quick to rush back to the sofa and scoop her up, murmuring to calm her back down.

 

Chanyeol watched the interaction with a fresh sense of awe, the feeling of love and affection so overwhelming it felt like his heart would burst not foreign to him, but the knowledge that everything he and Jongdae did now would be as parents was.

 

“There’s our Yeollie,” Baekhyun said fondly as he ruffled the taller’s hair. “We didn’t think you remembered how to smile at full power anymore.”

 

Chanyeol squeezed the shorter, leaning back into Kyungsoo and Junmyeon a little to show he hadn’t forgotten them either.

 

“So did I… Thank you, guys. I don’t think I could ever fully express how much this means to Jongdae and I.”

 

“I promised myself that no matter what else I did, I’d keep my loved ones happy. I’m just keeping that promise.”

 

Kyungsoo slapped Junmyeon’s arm at the words, looking faintly embarrassed.

 

“What are you, some kind of drama hero?”

 

Baekhyun waggled his brows at his fellow mafioso as his hand went somewhere Chanyeol didn’t care to know about.

 

“Well, I for one thought it was very cool, Myeonnie.”

 

Chanyeol snorted, but his attention snapped to Jongdae when the blond called for him.

 

“Oh my god, jagi-yah, you have to get over here. She keeps trying to put her little hand in her mouth and it’s so cute I’m actually going to die.”

 

Chanyeol knew then that he and Jongdae were going to be the kind of parents that took dozens of pictures and videos a day, bought every outfit known to man even though she would grow out of them soon enough, spoil her rotten with affection, and love her so impossibly hard that she would never know what it felt like to be without someone who cared for her unconditionally.

 

Thrumming with the excitement the promise of new life brought, Chanyeol crossed the span of the living room to go be with his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm actually a little dazed still that it's all done with? there will definitely be a oneshot or two coming up focusing more on the poly and their relationship and maybe even a future fic with their still unnamed daughter lol totes hit me up with things that y'all wanna see and i'll do my best to add/make them happen (づ￣ ³￣)づ
> 
> thank y'all so much for sticking through for this long, and special thanks for those who followed from chapter one and waited so patiently until now. this fic was my baby and writing it was an absolute experience. i would actually love it if y'all told me what you liked the most :3
> 
> i will definitely be back with more content, so i hope to see y'all around but definitely feel free (read: pls comment and talk to me i'm starved for friends) to hit me up whenever as i'm always ready to chat fufufufu (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧


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